PRICE,  25  CENTS. 


I LLUSTTOVTED  CAW-eUE 

if 


M 


DYSPEPSIA,  MENTAL  AND  PHYSICAL 

EXHAUSTION,  NERVOUSNESS, 
WEAKENED    ENERGY,   INDIGESTION, 

ETC.,  ETC- 


ACID  PHOSPHATE. 

A  liquid  preparation  of  the  phosphates  and 
phosphoric  acid. 

Recommended  by  physicians. 

It  makes  a  delicious  drink.  Invigorating 
and  strengthening.  Pamphlet  free.  For  sale 
by  all  dealers. 

RUMFORD  CHEMICAL  WORKS,  Providence,  R.  I. 

BEWARE  OF  IMITATIONS. 


Finest  Tone.    Best  Work  and 
Material  Guaranteed. 


EMERSON 


PIANOS 


More  than  45,OOO  Sold.    Every 
Piano  Fully  Warranted. 

SEND    FOR    CATALOGUE. 

EMERSON  PIANO  CO., 

Wareroom,  146  A  Tremont  St., 

BOSTON,    MASS. 


^£Lre    Solid.    Tracts. 


[The  following  is  a  nurse's 
experience  in  one  of  Boston's 
best  families;  few  can  boast 
of  bringing  up  rive  children  in 
a  single  family.  It  speaks  well 
for  both  the  nurse  and  the 
food.] 

BOSTON,  June  16, 1886. 
Messrs  WOOLRICH  &  Co. 

Gentlemen,— I  feel  it  my  duty 
to  write  and  tell  you  my  expe- 
rience with  RIDGE'S  FOOD. 
When  I  first  began  to  use  it  I 
expected,  of  course,  to  obtain 
some  benefit,  but  was  not  pre- 
pared for  such  wonderful  re- 
sults. Instead  of  the  babe  being 
feeble,  cross  and  sickly,  it  was 
well  and  hearty  all  the  time.  I 
thought  at  first  it  must  be  be- 
cause it  was  that  kind  of  a 
baby,  but  now  I  have  brought 
up  five  babies  on  it,  and  my 
experience  is  the  same  with 
all.  They  are  all  well  and 
nearty,  there  is  never  any  fear 
for  sickness,  you  can  sleep  all 
night,  and  /  know  it  is  the  food 
that  does  it.  I  think  every 
mother  ought  to  know  about 
this,  and  there  would  not  be 
any  more  fretful,  cross  and 
sickly  babies.  Very  truly, 

It  is   undoubtedly  true  that  MARY  MONOHAN. 

more  children  have  been  sue-  ^ELLSV'L^  ?l'  Oct ' l6' >84< 

WOOLRICH  oC  v^O. 

cessiully  reared  by  the  use  of    i  had  long  tried  to  procure, 
Ridge's  Food  than  by  the  use  &»  ^  ^  ^d" 55 

Of  all  the  Other  foods  Combined,  acidulate  ;  also,  one  which  the 

Do  not  experiment  with  your 


child,  but  take  the  food  that£at] 

,  ,    . ,  these  cond 

has  stood  the  test  of  time.          Respy.,  Dr.  j. : 

Messrs.  WOOLRICH  &  Co.  CAMDEN,  N.  J.,  Aug.  31,  '83. 

Sirs,— I  am  selling  more  of  Ridge's  Food,  and  it  gives  better  satisfactien, 
than  any  other  food  I  have  handled  for  twenty-five  years.  Please  send  some 
advertising  matter  for  distribution.  Respectfully, 

M.  GOLDSMITH,  Apothecary. 

Send  to  Woolrich  &  Co.,  Palmer,  Mass.,  for  pamphlet,  entitled 
"  Healthful  Hints,"  sent  FREE  to  any  address. 

Mention  this  Pamphlet. 


Every  Woman  wishes  to  be  Beautiful,  and  desires 
to  have  a  Clear,  Transparent,  Soft,  and  Healthy  Skin. 
Many  use  cosmetics,  in  a  vain  hope  to  produce  this 
effect,  some  few  foolish  ones  make  their  skin  death- 
looking  by  taking  arsenic. 

All  may  have  a  Beautiful,  Rosy,  Soft,  and  Healthy 
SKin  if  they  enrich  the  blood  and  feed  the  brain  and 
nerves  with  VITALIZED  PHOSPHITES.  This  is  not 
a  medicine,  it  is  a  Special  Food  to  enrich  the  blood 
and  feed  the  brain  and  nerves. 

It  cures  Nervousness,  Debility  and  Headache, 
gives  bright,  new  life  and  health,  and  pro- 
duces sleep  without  the  injurious  effects  of 
Opium  and  Drugs. 

Crosby's  Vitalized  phosphites. 

56  W.  25th,  St.,  N.  Y.      For  sale  by  Druggists  or  sent  by  mail  $1 . 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

PREPARED  FOR  THE  PUBLIC  PALATE 

BY  THE 

BEST  AUTHORITIES  ON  COFFEE  MAKING. 


MARIA  PARLOA,  CATHERINE  OWEN,  MARION  HARLAND,  JULIET  CORSON, 
MRS.  HELEN  CAMPBELL,  MRS.  D.  A.  LINCOLN, 

WITH  THE 

STORY  OF  COFFEE,  BY  HESTER  M.  POOLE. 


APPETIZING,  AROMATIC,  HEALTHFUL. 


"  This  coffee  intoxicates  without  exciting,  soothes  you  softly  out  of  dull  sobriety,  and  makes  you 
think  and  talk  of  all  the  pleasant  things  that  ever  happened  to  you.— If.  D.Howells. 


GOOD  HOUSEKEEPING  PRESS, 
CLARK  W.  BRYAN  &  CO.,  SPRINGFIELD,  MASS. 

TRADE  SUPPLIED   BY 

C.  A.  MONTGOMERY  &  CO.,  NEW  YORK. 


COPYRIGHT,  1887. 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED. 


PREKACK. 


It  is  not  much  to  say  that  nine-tenths  of  that  decoction 
ivhich  passes  under  the  name  of  coffee,  is  unworthy  to  be  so 
called,  and  that  many  persons  live  and  die  without  ever  tasting 
a  really  good  cup  of  that  delicious  beverage. 

As  a  nation,  the  American  people  want  the  best  of  every- 
thing, and  intend  to  have  that  best.  Furthermore,  they  are 
very  properly  and  intelligently  eager  to  turn  it  to  the  greatest 
advantage.  But  what  avails  the  best  raw  material  if  it  be  not 
prepared  in  such  a  manner  as  to  develop  and  secure  its  subtle, 
delicate,  volatile  and  enlivening  qualities  ?  The  very  same  in- 
gredients may  be  injurious  and  depressing,  or  wholesome  and 
exhilarating,  according  to  the  way  in  which  they  are  treated. 

The  six  cups  of  coffee  offered  to  the  reader,  by  six  of  the 
foremost  authorities  regarding  cooking,  will  bring  a  new  and 
healthful  stimulus  to  prepare  that  refreshing  drink  in  a  manner 
which  shall  leave  nothing  to  be  desired.  They  are  not  made 
from  old  grounds  re-heated  for  the  occasion,  but  are  as  fresh  as 
the  intelligence  and  the  experience  which  have  produced  them. 

A  country  which  expends  nearly  thirty-five  millions  of  dollars 
each  year  for  the  aromatic  berry,  can  well  afford  to  study  the 
best  methods  of  extracting  its  desirable  qualities. 

In  those  family  circles  where  Good  Housekeeping  is  the  rule, 
not  the  exception,  it  is  to  be  hoped  that  this  little  book  will  be 
welcomed  as  a  useful  friend  and  interesting  companion. 


INDEX. 


PAGE 
I.— As  PREPARED  BY  MARIA  PARLOA,      ....         5 

Filtered  Coffee  made  with  Cold  Water,  9 

Filtered  Coffee  made  with  Boiling  Water,  .  .          9 

Boiled  Coffee  made  with  Cold  Water,        .  .10 

Boiled  Coffee  made  with  Boiling  Water,   .  .  .10 

II.— As  PREPARED  BY  MARION  HARLAND,         .  .  .        n 

III.— As  PREPARED  BY  MRS.  HELEN  CAMPBELL,        .  .        15 

IV.— As  PREPARED  BY  JULIET  CORSON,  .  .  .  .20 

A  French  Chef's  Method,       .....        21 

Cafe  au  Lait,      .......        23. 

Cafe  Noir,  .......        23 

Filtered  Coffee,  ......        23 

Breakfast  Coffee, 23 

V.— As  PREPARED  BY  MRS.  D.  A.  LINCOLN.      .  25 

The  Wrong  Way,         ......        25 

The  Right  Way,  ......        26 

VI.— As  PREPARED  BY  CATHERINE  OWEN,        .  .  .30- 

French  Coffee,   .......        31 

French  Coffee  in  a  Pitcher,    .  .  .  .  .32 

Boiled  Coffee,    .......        32 

THE  STORY  OF  COFFEE,  BY  HESTER  M.  POOLE,    .    .   36 


SIX    CUPS    OK    COKKRB. 


COFFEE  — I. 

As  Prepared  l>y  Maria  Parloa. 

war  times,  after  a  battle  or  a  long  march, 
how  the  soldiers  enjoyed  their  coffee  !  And 
in  many  cases  it  was  pretty  poor  coffee,  too, 
though  to  them  it  seemed  fit  for  the  gods. 
The  delicious  aroma  which  arose  made  their 
feelings  of  weariness  or  depression  vanish  for 
a  while,  and  the  beverage  itself  cheered  them 
in  a  marked  degree.  Nothing  could  take  its 
place  ;  nothing  can  take  its  place  to-day. 
The  consumption  of  coffee  in  this  country  is 
enormous.  Rich  and  poor  alike  must  have 
it.  But  it  is  a  common  complaint  that  a  cup 
of  good  coffee  is  the  exception  rather  than 
the  rule.  Considering  the  low  price  of  the  raw  material,  this 
should  not  be  the  case.  People  are  prone  to  think  that  they 
know  all  there  is  to  be  known  about  coffee,  and  do  not  take 
pains  to  learn  what  special  qualities  different  brands  possess, 
and  what  the  most  approved  modes  of  making  coffee  are. 

Time  was  when  a  Mexican  or  South  or  Central  American 
coffee  was  considered  an  inferior  article.  To-day  some  of  the 
best  coffees  come  from  these  places.  For  example,  one  of  the 


6  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

most  delicious  coffees  which  is  brought  into  this  country  comes 
from  Guatemala.  It  bears  the  name  of  "Las  Nubes"  (The 
Clouds),  which  it  takes  from  the  plantation  where  it  is  grown. 
There  is  an  odd  bit  of  history  connected  with  this  plantation. 
A  Scotchman  named  Nelson  owned  it,  and  was  coining  money 
from  it,  when  he  was  banished  from  the  country  by  President 
Barrios,  and  his  property  was  confiscated.  It  is  now  owned  by 
the  widow  of  Barrios.  The  annual  yield  from  it  is  four  hun- 
dred and  fifty  thousand  pounds.  A  large  proportion  of  this 
goes  to  England,  where  it  brings  a  higher  price  than  here. 

There  are  two  kinds  of  coffee, — the  strong  and  the  mild.  To 
the  first  class  belong  the  Rio  and  Santas,  and  to  the  second, 
the  Java,  Mocha,  Maracaibo,  and,  indeed,  almost  all  the  other 
kinds.  When  a  rich,  smooth  beverage  is  desired,  a  combina- 
tion of  Mocha  and  Java — or  some  coffee  that  has  the  qualities 
of  Java — should  be  used  ;  but  when  a  very  strong  flavor  is 
liked,  Eio  or  Santas  should  be  taken.  The  supply  of  Java 
meets  only  about  one-fifth  of  the  demand.  For  this  reason 
many  other  mild  coffees  are  sold  under  the  name  of  "Java." 
Good  Maracaibo  is  equal  to  Java,  and  is  constantly  sold  under 
that  name.  A  combination  of  one  pound  Mocha,  one  pound 
Eio,  and  two  pounds  Java  or  Maracaibo  will  give  a  rich, 
strong-flavored  drink,  but  not  so  smooth  as  if  the  Rio  were 
omitted. 

When  buying  the  berry,  pause  for  a  moment  to  think  how 
you  like  your  beverage.  Do  you  want  it  smooth  and  of  delicate 
flavor  ?  Take  one-third  Mocha  and  the  rest  Java  or  Maracaibo. 
Do  you  want  it  strong  ?  Use  all  Rio,  or  temper  that  brand  by 
combining  it  with  some  one  of  the  mild  kinds. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  7 

A  large  proportion  of  housekeepers  buy  their  coffee  roasted, 
and  many  also  buy  it  ground.  If  coffee,  while  still  hot  from 
the  roaster,  were  put  into  vessels  almost  air  tight,  and  kept  in 
them  until  ground  for  use,  the  improvement  in  the  drink  made 
from  it  would  amply  repay  for  the  trouble  taken.  Much  of  the 
fine  aroma  is  lost  before  the  roasted  bean  reaches  the  house- 
keeper, and  there  is  even  a  greater  loss  if  the  coffee  has  been 
ground  for  a  considerable  time.  These  are  some  of  the  disad- 
vantages which  must  be  endured  when  one  buys  coffee  already 
roasted.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  unless  the  roasting  be  done 
very  carefully,  the  coffee  will  not  be  good.  A  few  burnt  beans 
in  a  quart  will  ruin  the  drink.  When  careful  attention  to 
roasting  cannot  be  given  at  home,  it  will  be  better  to  buy  a 
supply  already  roasted,  but  never  ground.  A  French  small 
mill,  which  can  be  regulated  to  grind  coarse  or  fine,  can  be 
bought  for  about  a  dollar  and  a  half.  With  care  it  will  last  for 
ten  or  twenty  years.  Some  firms  put  up  coffee  in  tin  cans.  It 
costs  more,  but  retains  so  much  of  the  aroma  as  to  be  well 
worth  the  extra  price. 

When  green  coffee  is  bought,  be  careful  that  it  is  well  sea- 
soned. It  should  have  a  brownish  or  yellowish  tint,  which 
comes  only  with  years  of  seasoning.  The  best  way  to  do,  when 
it  is  possible,  is  to  buy  green  coffee  by  the  sack,  and  keep  it 
stored  in  a  sweet,  dry  place — say  the  attic — for  two  or  three 
years.  In  that  time  it  will  have  become  sufficiently  mellowed. 

To  roast  coffee,  put  the  green  beans  into  a  large  dripping- 
pan,  being  sure  that  the  pan  is  perfectly  clean.  Have  the  coffee 
about  an  inch  deep.  Place  the  pan  in  a  moderate  oven.  Stir 
frequently,  and  at  the  end  of  half  an  hour  increase  the  heat  of 


8  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

the  oven.  From  this  time  until  "the  beans  are  sufficiently 
browned,  there  should  be  a  stirring  every  three  or  four  min- 
utes. When  the  coffee  is  almost  a  chestnut  color,  remove  the 
pan  from  the  oven,  and  for  every  quart  add  one  tablespoonful 
of  butter.  Stir  well ;  and,  while  the  coffee  is  still  hot,  put  it 
into  cans  and  cover  closely.  Coffee  absorbs  moisture  and 
odors.  It  should  therefore  be  kept  in  a  sweet,  dry  place. 
*  There  are  so  many  ways  of  making  coffee,  and  so  many  kinds 
of  coffee-pots,  that  young  housekeepers  often  are  perplexed  in 
choosing  either  a  mode  of  preparing  the  drink  or  a  utensil  in 
which  to  make  it.  If  a  few  principles  be  carefully  observed,  a 
perfect  result  may  be  counted  as  a  certainty — provided,  of 
course,  that  the  ground  coffee  be  good.  The  berries  should  be 
heated  before  or  after  grinding.  The  coffee-pot  should  be  en- 
tirely clean,  without  a  particle  of  old  coffee  grounds  in  it.  The 
coffee  should  not  be  subjected  to  long  boiling,  as  this  will 
dissipate  the  aroma  and  produce  a  rather  bitter  drink.  Coffee 
that  is  not  boiled  at  all  is  very  smooth  and  free  of  bitter  flavor. 
All  coffee  should  be  served  hot,  and  as  soon  as  possible  after 
being  made.  Always  serve  cream  or  hot  milk  with  it.  Heat 
the  milk  to  the  boiling  point,  but  do  not  let  it  boil. 

Tastes  vary  as  to  the  proper  strength  of  coffee.  The  rules 
given  in  this  article  are  for  a  strong  drink  ;  and  where  only 
moderate  strength  is  desired,  use  but  half  the  quantity  of  dry 
coffee  for  the  quantity  of  water  stated.  Coffee  made  with  cold 
water  always  is  stronger  than  that  made  with  boiling  water, 
and  in  the  opinion  of  many  people  it  is  better  ;  but  some  folks 
think  that  no  coffee  is  equal  to  that  which  has  been  boiled  with 
an  egg.  No  matter  what  mode  of  making  the  drink  is  followed, 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  9 

the  result  will  be  pleasing  if  good  material  is  used,  the  work 
done  quickly,  and  the  coffee  served  fresh  and  hot. 

Here  are  four  rules,  any  one  of  which  will  give  perfect  coffee, 
but  each  of  a  different  flavor  : — 

FILTERED  COFFEE  MADE  WITH  COLD  WATER. 

Put  one  cupful  of  fine-ground  coffee  in  a  small  saucepan  and 
on  the  fire.  Stir  constantly  until  hot.  Put  the  hot  coffee  in  the 
filter  of  a  coffee-biggin.  Place  the  coarse  strainer  on  top,  and 
then  add  half  a  cupful  of  cold  water,  pouring  it  in  by  table- 
spoonfuls.  Cover  it  and  let  it  stand  for  half  an  hour,  though 
less  time  will  do.  Next  add  three  cupf  uls  and  a  half  of  cold 
water,  a  cupful  at  a  time.  When  all  the  water  has  passed 
through  the  filter,  pour  it  from  the  pot,  and  again  through  the 
filter.  Cover  closely  ;  and  at  serving-time  heat  it  to  the  boiling 
point  and  serve  at  once. 

One  advantage  in  using  cold  filtered  water  is  that  the  coffee 
may  be  made  at  any  time  in  the  day,  and  heated  when  required. 
If  to  be  served  after  dinner,  it  will  be  better  if  made  with  three 
cupfuls  of  water  instead  of  four. 

This  coffee  will  be  perfectly  clear,  and  of  a  fine  color.  The 
flavor  will  be  rich,  smooth  and  delightful. 

FILTERED  COFFEE  MADE  WITH  BOILING  WATER. 

Heat  one  cupful  of  fine-ground  coffee  in  the  manner  described 
in  the  preceding  receipt,  and  put  it  in  the  filter  of  the  coffee- 
biggin.  Put  the  biggin  in  a  pan  with  a  little  boiling  water,  and 
place  it  on  the  stove.  Pour  a  gill  of  boiling  water  on  the  coffee, 
cover,  and  let  it  stand  for  five  minutes.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
add  half  a  pint  of  boiling  water,  and  continue  to  add  boiling 
water  by  the  half-pint,  at  intervals  of  three  minutes,  until  a 
quart  of  water  has  been  used  in  all.  Serve  the  coffee  at  once. 


10  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

Or,  the  coffee  may  be  passed  through  the  filter  a  second  time, 
giving  a  stronger  cup. 

Filtered  coffee  never  should  be  boiled.  Placing  the  pot  in 
the  pan  of  boiling  water  keeps  the  coffee  at  the  boiling  point, 
and  yet  protects  it  from  a  boiling. 

BOILED  COFFEE  MADE  WITH  COLD  WATER. 

Heat  a  cupful  of  coffee,  ground  rather  coarse,  and  put  it  in  a 
bowl  with  one  pint  of  cold  water.  Cover  closely,  and  let  it  soak 
for  an  hour  or  more. 

Break  an  egg  into  the  bowl  with  the  coffee,  and  stir  well.  Put 
this  mixture  into  the  coffee-pot  and  place  on  the  fire.  Heat 
slowly  to  the  boiling  point,  then  add  a  pint  of  boiling  water, 
and  boil  gently  for  five  minutes.  Now  add  a  gill  of  cold  water, 
and  set  the  pot  back  where  its  contents  cannot  boil.  At  the 
end  of  three  minutes  strain  into  a  hot  pot  and  serve  at  once. 

This  coffee  will  be  stronger  than  that  made  with  boiling 
water ;  its  flavor,  too,  will  be  somewhat  different. 

BOILED  COFFEE  MADE  WITH  BOILING  WATER. 

Heat  one  cupful  of  coffee,  ground  rather  coarse.  Put  it  into 
a  coffee-pot,  and  add  an  egg.  Stir  well,  and  add  a  quart  of 
boiling  water.  Place  over  the  fire,  and  stir  until  the  coffee 
boils  up.  Now  stir  the  coffee  and  egg  down,  and  then  shut 
down  the  cover,  and  set  the  pot  where  its  contents  will  only 
simmer  during  the  next  five  minutes.  At  the  end  of  that  time 
add  a  gill  of  cold  water.  Let  the  coffee  stand  at  the  side  of 
the  stove  for  three  or  four  minutes,  then  strain  into  a  hot  pot, 
and  serve  at  once. 

The  rules  for  making  coffee  might  be  multiplied  almost 
indefinitely,  but  what  has  been  given  here  will  insure  a  good 
beverage  every  time. 


COFFEE  — II. 


As  Prepared  ~by  Marion  Harland. 


=|HE  -eery  best  way  to  make  coffee  is  to 
buy  the  raw  berries  and  brown  them 
yourself,  at  least  once  a  week.  Most 
printed  directions  for  preparing  the 
beverage  insist  upon  these  prelim- 
inaries as  a  sine  qua  non.  When 
the  mistress  cannot  superintend  the 
roasting,  it  is  seldom  well  done,  the 
coffee  being  burned  or  unequally 
cooked.  Therefore,  the  average 
housewife,  who  has  her  hands  full 
of  "  must-be-dones,"  reading  that 
tolerable  coffee  cannot  be  had  unless 
this  rule  be  obeyed,  makes  up  her  mind  to  give  her  family  a 
second-rate  article.  Should  coffee  be  regarded  as  a  daily  neces- 
sity of  existence  by  her  and  her  household,  she  would  do  well 
to  spare  time  from  other  occupations  (if  possible)  to  prepare  it 
in  the  most  approved  manner. 

To  this  end,  purchase  Java  and  Mocha  in  equal  quantities  ; 
mix  and  roast  them  in  a  broad  dripping-pan,  shaking  and 
stirring  often,  particularly  when  they  begin  to  brown,  turning 
the  pan,  end  for  end,  several  times  during  the  operation.  The 
berries  should  be  evenly  tinted  to  the  shade  we  know  as 
"  coffee-color."  Burnt  grains  must  be  thrown  away.  Lift  the 


12  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

pan  to  a  table,  and  stir  into  the  hot  coffee  the  beaten  whites  of 
two  eggs  for  each  pound,  and  a  dessertspoonful  of  fresh  butter. 
This  keeps  in  the  aroma  until  the  grinding  lets  it  out.  Do  ft 
quickly  and  faithfully,  glazing  every  berry  with  the  air-proof 
coating.  When  cool,  shake  the  coffee  in  a  sieve,  that  the 
berries  may  not  stick  together,  and  put  it  into  a  tight  canister. 
Grind  in  a  good  mill — L  e.,  one  that  works  well  without  rattling 
or  "wobbling" — every  morning  as  much  as  will  be  needed  for 
the  day.  This  was  our  mothers'  and  grandmothers'  way  of 
preparing  coffee  grains  for  making  the  most  popular  beverage 
known  to  civilized  peoples,  and  no  domestic  considered  herself 
aggrieved  if  required  to  do  it.  Now,  the  good  wife  who  informs 
her  cook  that  "  we  roast  and  grind  our  own  coffee,"  will  have 
trouble  in  the  flesh.  Bridget's  impregnable  belief  is  that  "  what 
is  good  enough  for  people  that  lives  in  finer  houses  nor  yerself ,  is 
plenty  good  for  yez."  It  is  not  to  be  undermined  by  represen- 
tations that  ground  coffee  bought  by  the  package  has  lost  much 
of  its  original  value  with  time,  and  is,  furthermore,  shamefully 
adulterated.  What  your  richer  neighbors  use  ought  to  satisfy 
you,  especially  when  discontent  with  it  entails  worry  and  labor 
upon  herself.  I  repeat  it :  If  you  must  have  irreproachable 
coffee,  look  to  it  in  person. 

Next  to  this  process  in  excellence  is  the  plan  of  purchasing, 
a  pound  at  a  time,  freshly-ground  coffee  from  a  trustworthy 
grocer,  whose  mill  goes  every  day  ;  or  you  may  buy  it  freshly 
roasted  in  the  grain  from  him  in  small  quantities,  putting  a 
certain  portion  in  the  oven  until  warmed  through,  as  you  need 
it,  and  grinding  it  before  it  cools.  This  insures  you  against 
the  admixture  of  foreign  substances.  The  belief  in  the  exten- 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  13 

sive  adulteration  of  the  ground  coffee  sold  by  the  package  at  a 
low  rate  is  founded  upon  a  rock  of  fact.  Sacks  of  beans  and 
tons  of  chicory  are  bought  without  a  scruple,  and  stored  un- 
blushingly  in  the  warehouses  of  coffee  and  spice  millers. 

Make  sure  then,  to  begin  with,  that  your  material  is  pure 
and  lately  ground.  On  the  last  point,  take  notice  that  the 
coffee  which  is  to  be  made  into  a  drink  by  the  percolation  of 
steam  or  water  should  be  ground  more  finely  than  when  it  is 
to  be  boiled. 

Next  see  that  the  water  is  on  what  may  be  called  "  a  fresh 
boil."  It  should  not  have  simmered  for  hours  at  the  side  of  the 
stove  until  all  the  liveliness  is  spent,  but  stand  in  the  hottest 
place,  where  it  will  come  quickly  and  furiously  to  the  boiling 
point,  then  be  used  at  once. 

The  perfection  of  coffee,  to  my  way  of  thinking,  is  made  in 
the  "Vienna  coffee-pot."  A  tea-kettle  of  copper,  brass,  or 
plated  silver,  full  of  boiling  water,  is  set  over  a  spirit  lamp. 
Into  it  is  fitted  a  tube  attached  to  a  glass  receptacle  for  the 
finely-ground  coffee,  which  is  kept  from  entering  the  tube  by  a 
wire  sieve.  A  tight  stopper  prevents  the  escape  through  the 
kettle-spout  of  the  steam  generated  by  the  lamp.  It  is  thus 
forced  upward  through  the  tube  and  sieve  into  the  dry  coffee. 
The  globe  has  a  brass  cover  that  keeps  in  the  heat.  The  coffee 
is  speedily  saturated  with  vapor,  and  begins  to  heave  and  boil 
like  the  crater  of  a  volcano.  When  the  tossing  mass  fills  the 
upper  vessel,  the  stopper  is  withdrawn  from  the  spout  of  the 
lower,  and  the  surface  slowly  sinks  to  the  original  level.  The 
stopper  is  replaced,  and  another  boil  begins.  Three  boils  and 
as  many  drainings  will  leave  in  the  kettle  delicious  black  coffee, 


14  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

fragrant  and  clear.  It  can  be  made  on  the  breakfast  or  dinner- 
table  in  five  minutes,  if  the  flame  be  strong  and  the  water  on 
the  boil  when  set  over  it.  Directions  and  measures  for  quanti- 
ties of  coffee  and  water  accompany  the  pot. 

Hardly  second  in  merit  to  this  method  is  the  use  of  the  French 
" biggin"  or  "grecque."  A  tin  cylinder,  furnished  with  two 
movable  and  one  stationary  strainers,  is  set  on  a  coffee-pot. 
Dry,  fine  coffee  goes  into  the  upper  vessel  in  the  proportion  of 
a  half-pint  cupful  to  a  quart  of  boiling  water  poured  on  this, 
and  left  to  filter  through  once,  twice,  or  three  times,  as  a  mod- 
erately or  very  strong  infusion  is  desired.  The  pot  should  be 
made  hot  by  scalding  before  the  cylinder  is  fitted  on,  then  stand 
on  the  hot  range  or  hearth,  while  the  liquid  drips  through  the 
strainers.  But  this  must  not  boil  then  or  afterwards. 

Persons  accustomed  to  Vienna  or  French  coffee  do  not  relish 
that  cooked  in  the  old-fashioned  style,  but  as  many  still  cling 
to  the  latter,  it  is  well  to  know  how  to  obtain  the  most  satis- 
factory result  offered  by  it. 

Allow  to  each  even  cupful  of  ground  coffee  a  quart  of  boiling 
water.  Mix  the  coffee  in  a  bowl  with  half  a  cupful  of  cold 
water  and  the  white  and  shell  of  an  egg  ;  stir  all  well  together 
before  putting  the  mixture  into  the  boiler.  Add  the  boiling 
water,  and  let  it  boil  fast  ten  minutes  after  it  begins  to  bubble. 
Throw  in  one-third  of  a  cupful  of  cold  water  to  check  ebullition  ; 
draw  to  one  side,  and  let  the  decoction  settle  for  three  minutes 
before  pouring  it  off  gently  from  the  grounds  into  the  urn. 

Send  hot  milk— cream,  if  you  have  it— to  table  with  coffee. 
A  teaspoonful  of  whipped  cream,  laid  on  the  surface  of  each 
cupful,  adds  to  the  elegance  of  the  beverage. 


COFFEE  — III. 


Two  Ways  with  Coffee,  as  Described  ~by  Mrs.  Helen 
Campbell. 

ERHAPS  the  two  should  read  twenty, 
and  it  would,  were  it  any  part  of 
my  present  mission  to  give  every 
possibility  of  method  with  the 
berry  from  bush  to  pot  or  filter. 
But  I  deal  to-day  only  with  two, 
and  they  define  themselves  at 
once,  sharply  and  decisively  —  a 
good  way  and  a  bad  way  ;  and  as, 
according  to  a  famous  moralist, 
we  take  more  interest  in  the  faults 
than  in  the  virtues  of  a  friend,  it 
is  with  the  bad  way  that  we  be- 
gin. It  is  a  way  susceptible  of 
many  variations,  as  my  own  eyes 
have  seen,  but  all  reducible  to  the  one  formula, — bad.  More- 
over, they  all  emanated  from  a  source  supposed  to  represent 
the  acme  of  good  housekeeping.  It  was  in  New  England, 
far  to  the  east,  and  the  quiet  house  where  a  part  of  a  sum- 
mer was  spent  had  every  charm  but  that  of  good  coffee. 
Paint,  walls,  and  floors  were  spotlessly  clean.  The  sheets 
smelled  of  green  grass  and  all  growing  things,  and,  like  every 
washable  article,  dazzled  one  with  the  -whiteness  and  purity 


16  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

of  their  cleanliness.  Bread  and  butter  were  perfect,  and  in- 
numerable pies  equally  so.  But  the  coffee  !  Freakishly,  mys- 
teriously, variously  bad  ;  but  bad  inevitably.  Why  and  how 
one  act  could  have  such  manifold  effects  became  the  problem, 
and  gradually,  by  means  of  much  patient  observation  made 
from  my  place  by  the  south  window  in  the  room,  which 
was  both  dining-room  and  sitting-room,  I  found  out. 

My  hostess  came  down  late  one  morning.  The  coffee  of 
the  previous  day  had  stood  in  the  tin  pot  all  night,  and  she 
poured  off  such  liquid  as  remained,  emptied  the  grounds, 
rinsed  the  pot  with  cold  water,  and  put  in  a  cupful  of  cold 
coffee.  This  was  set  on  the  stove,  and  soon  began  to  boil. 
The  potatoes  were  frying,  and  some  slices  of  pork  also,  and 
she  busied  herself  with  these  for  a  time  ;  then,  as  a  sort  of 
afterthought,  took  some  coffee  from  the  canister,  ground  it, 
and  poured  it  into. the  pot.  The  kettle  had  boiled  furiously 
for  an  hour,  and  I  knew  that  the  water  that  filled  it  had 
stood  all  night  in  the  kitchen  ;  these  two  facts  meaning  that 
it  had  parted  with  the  last  bubble  of  life  and  spirit,  and 
was  flat,  stale  and  unprofitable.  But  she  filled  the  coffee- 
pot to  the  brim,  throwing  in  the  bit  of  fish  skin  for  clear- 
ing ;  and  on  it  boiled  till  the  bell  had  rung,  and  Aaron  came 
in  from  the  barn  and  received  his  cup,  made  bearable  by 
the  cream,  which  she  never  stinted.  But  not  a  detective  ap- 
pointed for  the  purpose  could  have  told  the  nature  of  the 
compound  before  him,  and  would  have  echoed  the  despair- 
ing traveler's  request  :  "If  this  is  tea,  bring  me  coffee  ; 
and  if  it's  coffee,  bring  me  tea." 

Happily,  Aaron  was  thirsty,   and    emptied    the    pot.    His 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  IT 

mother  turned  out  the  grounds,  washed  the  pot  with  soap- 
suds, and  set  it  away,  half  dry — an  immediate  explanation 
of  one  of  the  flavors  sometimes  to  be  perceived.  Observa- 
tion, the  next  morning,  showed  that  the  kettle  did  not  boil, 
because  the  fire  refused  to  burn  properly.  But  the  coffee 
went  in,  and  the  water  went  on,  and  in  due  time  came  ta 
the  table,  distinctly  flavored  with  soap,  but  drank  with  calm 
unconsciousness  by  both  Aaron  and  his  mother.  The  supply 
of  cream  had  gone  by  mistake  into  the  churn,  and  there  was 
no  alleviation.  I  looked  at  the  determined  countenance  of 
my  hostess,  and  wondered  if  I  might  speak.  Here  was  the 
well  by  the  door  ;  here  was  a  canister  of  real  coffee  ;  here 
milk  that  could  boil.  What  lacked  it  that  I  must  forega 
the  real  union  of  all  these  elements  ?  Only  my  own  craven 
nature,  which  shrunk  from  the  conflict,  and  continued  to 
shrink,  through  three  weeks  of  vicissitude.  I  had  grown  in- 
different, but  the  sight  of  a  fresh  package  of  coffee  coming 
in  under  Aaron's  arm  aroused  me  to  mild  persuasion.  I 
read  at  the  tea-table  a  bit  from  some  paper  on  Delmonico's. 
theory  of  boiling  water. 

"  He  must  a'  been  dretful  notional.  I  wouldn't  a'  had  him 
come  pokin'  about  my  kitchen,"  remarked  my  hostess,  de- 
cisively. 

"  But  he  was  quite  right.  Water  is  spoiled  for  drinking, 
as  hot  water,  or  for  making  tea  or  coffee,  if  it  passes  be- 
yond that  first  few  minutes  of  effervescence.  It  should  be 
fresh  water,  freshly  boiled,  and  poured  at  once  on  the  coffee, 
which  ought  to  be  in  a  clean,  hot  pot.  It  doesn't  make 
much  difference  whether  it  is  boiled  or  filtered.  Delicious 


18  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

coffee  can  be  had  by  either  method,  if  those  conditions  are 
followed  absolutely  ;  the  best  coffee  is  ruined  if  they  are  not." 

"  Folks  that  don't  like  my  vittles  can  go  where  there's 
vittle's  they  do  like,"  was  my  hostess's  answer,  after  a  mo- 
ment of  stony  silence.  And  so  I  lost  that  boarding-place,  and 
found  one  where  they  never  ground  their  own  coffee,  but  where 
they  did  everything  else  to  it,  decently  and  in  order. 

Two  years  later  I  found  myself  one  morning  in  a  waste, 
howling  wilderness  in  North  Carolina — a  tar  and  turpentine 
station  in  the  pine  woods,  where  only  a  cabin  or  two  showed 
signs  of  life.  One  truck  of  the  car  was  off  the  track.  Hours 
must  pass  before  we  could  go  on,  and  any  breakfast  lay  forty 
miles  beyond. 

"You'll  get  a  snack  in  yonder,"  the  conductor  said  pres- 
ently, pointing  to  a  distant  cabin.  "And  it's  a  pretty  good 
one.  I've  tried  it  before." 

He  led  the  way  under  the  pines  to  the  lonely  little  cabin, 
in  the  door  of  which  stood  a  tall  "  cracker,"  with  a  keener 
face  than  most  of  his  order.  It  was  the  roughest  of  inte- 
riors, but  it  was  clean.  He  had  already  cut  some  slices  of 
bacon  and  placed  it  in  his  pan,  and  a  pone  baked  in  the 
ashes.  A  coffee-mill  was  screwed  against  the  post,  and  from 
a  shed  I  heard  the  lowing  of  a  cow.  We  should  not  be 
milkless. 

"Do  your  prettiest,  Jacob,"  the  conductor  said,  and  Jacob 
nodded.  Then  he  went  to  a  spring  and  filled  a  little  kettle 
with  the  fresh,  bubbling  water,  and  hung  it  over  the  coals. 
Coffee  was  in  a  sack  in  the  corner,  and  he  took  out  a  handful 
and  roasted  it  then  and  there,  turning  each  grain  in  the  pan 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  19 

as  it  browned,  and  grinding  it  the  instant  the  process  ended. 
The  water  boiled  on  the  same  moment.  He  scalded  his  cof- 
fee-pot, put  in  the  ground  coffee  and  the  boiling  water,  and 
put  that  and  a  little  can  of  milk  on  the  coals.  Three  min- 
utes passed.  Then  he  lifted  the  pot,  poured  off  a  cupful  to 
free  the  nozzle,  poured  it  back,  and  put  it  aside  to  settle. 

"Set  by,"  he  said,  concisely,  putting  a  tin  cup  at  my 
place,  with  a  spoonful  of  sugar  in  the  bottom. 

"  We  hain't  any  store  cups,"  he  said  ;  "an'  this  ain't  what 
you're  used  to,  but  it  won't  spoil  the  coffee."  And  with 
that  he  poured  two  streams,  one  a  rich,  clear  brown,  the 
other  snowy  white,  and  both  at  boiling-point,  till  the  cup 
was  full.  Never  had  more  perfect  coffee  passed  my  lips,  and 
I  said  so. 

"Learned  that  in  Mexico,"  said  the  tall  "cracker,"  with 
a  smile  of  pride.  "  Used  to  drink  my  coffee  straight  ;  but 
go  down  thar  for  a  year,  an'  now  can't  bar  it  no  other  way 
but  their' s.  Roast  it,  an'  boil  it,  and  drink  it  all  to  onst. 
It  gits  ahead  o'  whiskey,  or  even  peach  an'  honey." 

Here  are  the  two  ways  :  Admirable  cook-books  will  give 
you  admirable  rules  for  making  coffee  ;  but,  if  you  believe 
it  worth  the  trouble,  try  my  "  cracker's,"  otherwise  Mex- 
ican, method.  Cream  and  coffee  are  often  indigestible  ;  boiled 
milk  and  coffee,  almost  never.  The  union  prevents  excess 
of  coffee,  and,  if  both  come  to  the  table  as  near  the  boil- 
ing-point as  possil  le,  you  have  the  perfect  drink.  Only  re- 
member that  the  coffee  must  be  one- third  Mocha  to  two- 
thirds  Java,  and,  if  you  will  roast  more  than  enough  for 
once,  keep  closely  covered,  and  heat  before  grinding. 


COFFEE  — IV. 


As  prepared  ~by  Juliet  Cor  son. 

HAT  "the  easiest  way  is  the  best"  is 
a  proverb  not  always  verified  in  the 
kitchen  ;  but  it  certainly  applies  to 
the  making  of  good  coffee,  if  the  ideal 
beverage  is  a  clear,  wine-brown,  fra- 
grant fluid  of  comforting  quality. 
Testing  many  ways  of  preparing  this- 
almost  indispensable  accompaniment 
to  a  good  breakfast  has  proven  that 
the  Turks  and  Arabians  treat  it  most 
fairly  ;  the  reservation  may  be  made 
that  Americans  generally  prefer  not  to 
absorb  the  substance  of  the  berry,  even  in  the  form  of  an 
almost  impalpable  powder,  as  do  the  followers  of  Mahomet. 
These  comparatively  temperate  people  attach  its  true  value 
to  coffee  as  a  frequent  beverage  ;  its  free  use  is  unfavorable 
to  indulgence  in  intoxicants  of  any  character,  and,  properly 
prepared,  it  does  not  exercise  any  deleterious  action  upon 
the  digestive  organs  under  normal  conditions.  Some  per- 
sons are  unable  to  use  it  freely  without  more  or  less  intes- 
tinal disturbance,  just  as  others  cannot  digest  eggs,  fish,  or 
milk  ;  once  convinced  of  its  injurious  effect,  one  would  be 
as  foolish  to  drink  it  as  to  persist  in  testing  the  relative 
hardness  of  one's  head  and  a  stone  wall. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  21 

Much  of  the  physical  trouble  arising  from  the  drinking  of 
coffee  is  to  be  attributed  to  the  use  of  uncooked  milk  with 
boiled  coffee.  The  actual  boiling  of  coffee  extracts  its  tannic 
acid,  and  this,  combining  with  some  of  the  component  parts 
of  milk,  forms  an  indigestible  substance  that  appears  on  the 
surface  of  the  beverage  in  the  form  of  a  thin  scum.  When 
coffee  disagrees  with  any  one  who  likes  it  boiled,  the  trial 
is  suggested  of  making  it  with  boiled  milk,  as  the  French 
prepare  cafe  au  lait ;  if  the  ill  effect  is  still  apparent,  dis~ 
pense  with  milk,  using  only  sugar  ;  or  try  condensed  milk, 
in  which  the  elements  are  somewhat  changed  chemically  ; 
if  it  still  produces  disturbance,  be  sensible  ;  do  not  use  it. 
Cocoa  is  a  good  breakfast  drink. 

Coffee  is  preferable  to  any  kind  of  tea  as  a  breakfast  bev- 
erage, because,  under  right  conditions,  it  does  not,  like  tea, 
retard  the  digestion  and  assimilation  of  food  ;  it  is  slightly 
stimulating  and  conducive  to  appetite,  and  is  especially  valu- 
able when  the  bulk  of  the  meal  is  made  up  of  cold  food, 
as  it  sometimes  is  in  summer,  and  when  it  is  hurriedly  pre- 
pared. Several  recipes  are  given  for  making  coffee,  with 
preference  for  the  last,  because  it  develops  all  the  flavor 
and  aroma  of  the  berry,  and  secures  its  nutrient  properties 
so  far  as  they  can  be  obtained  by  infusion. 

A  FKENCH  CHEF'S  METHOD 

Of  making  breakfast  coffee  was  to  mix  a  cupful  of  the  ground 
berry  with  one  raw  egg  and  its  shell,  anil  a  quart  of  cold  water; 
these  ingredients  were  placed  in  the  coffee-pot  over  the  firej 
occasionally  stirred,  and  allowed  to  reach  the  boiling-point ;  the 
coffee-pot  was  then  drawn  to  the  side  of  the  fire,  where  it  could 


22  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

not  boil,  one-half  cupful  of  cold  water  was  poured  into  the 
spout  and  top  of  the  pot,  and  the  coffee  was  allowed  to  stand 
ten  minutes  before  it  was  used.  Boiled  milk  is  the  best  for  all 
kinds  of  coffee  except  cafe  noir. 

A  favorite  French  mixture  of  coffees  is  one-third  each  of 
Java,  Mocha,  and  Maracaibo,  with  at  least  an  ounce  of  pure 
chicory  to  each  pound  of  coffee.  The  addition  of  chicory  to 
coffee  gives  it  a  rich  color  and  pleasant  flavor  ;  it  is  best  to 
make  the  mixture  at  home,  buying  the  chicory  from  some 
reliable  dealer. 

Green  coffee — that  is,  unroasted  coffee  in  the  bean — may 
be  bought  at  any  time  when  the  market  is  favorable  ;  it  im- 
proves by  being  kept  in  a  cool,  dry  place.  Roast  it  in  small 
quantities,  and  grind  it  just  before  using  it  ;  this  is  quite 
feasible,  even  if  home  facilities  are  limited.  In  some  house- 
holds there  are  small  coffee-furnaces  ;  or  the  beans  can  be 
browned  in  the  oven  by  exercising  due  care.  Add  a  very 
little  good  butter  to  the  coffee,  just  enough  to  make  it  glossy. 
but  not  greasy  ;  after  it  has  been  put  into  an  iron  pan,  place 
it  in  the  oven,  and  shake  the  pan  often  enough  to  make 
the  beans  brown  evenly ;  do  not  burn  the  coffee.  The  same 
precautions  must  be  taken  in  using  the  furnace  or  coffee- 
roaster.  If  coffee  is  bought  roasted  and  unground,  put  into 
a  frying-pan  with  enough  butter  to  make  it  glossy,  and  shake 
the  pan  over  a  hot  fire  until  the  aroma  of  the  coffee  is  per- 
ceptible ;  then  grind  it,  and  use  it  at  once.  Only  enough 
for  one  meal  should  be  heated  at  one  time,  the  quantity 
depending  upon  the  desired  strength  of  the  beverage  ;  from 
one  to  two  ounces  of  coffee  to  a  quart  of  water  is  the  usual 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  23 

allowance  in  families.    When  coffee  is  made  in  large  quan- 
tities a  pound  is  allowed  for  twenty-five  persons. 

CAFE  ATI  LAIT. 

This  favorite  breakfast  beverage  of  the  French  is  made  of 
cafe  noir  and  boiling  milk  in  equal  quantities,  poured  together 
into  a  cup  from  two  coffee-pots,  and  sweetened  to  taste. 

CAFE  NOIR. 

This  beverage,  called  after-dinner  or  black  coffee,,  is  made 
clear  and  strong,  being  allowed  to  reach  the  boiling-point,  but 
not  to  boil.  The  usual  proportions  are  one  cupful  (or  four 
ounces)  of  coffee  to  a  quart  of  water.  If  made  in  a  percolator, 
a  half  additional  of  this  quantity  of  coffee  should  be  allowed  ; 
that  is,  six  ounces  to  a  quart. 

FILTERED  COFFEE. 

When  coffee  is  made  in  a  percolator,  or  a  coffee-pot  with  a 
strainer  ^t  the  top,  one-third  at  least  should  be  added  to  the 
usual  proportion  of  coffee  ;  three  ounces  to  a  quart  makes  a 
good  coffee  by  this  method.  The  coffee  is  placed  in  the 
strainer,  and  actually  boiling  water  is  poured  through  it ;  the 
coffee-pot  is  placed  where  the  coffee  will  keep  hot  without  boil- 
ing for  about  ten  minutes,  and  then  used. 

BREAKFAST  COFFEE. 

The  best  and  most  economical  coffee  is  made  as  follows  :  A 
small  bag  of  unbleached  cloth  is  so  arranged  as  to  remain  sus- 
pended about  midway  of  the  coffee-pot.  The  coffee,  freshly 
roasted,  or  heated  in  a  frying-pan,  as  described  above,  and  then 
ground  to  a  fine  powder,  is  put  into  the  bag,  an  ounce  being 
allowed  for  each  quart  of  coffee  ;  actually  boiling  water  is  then 
poured  upon  the  coffee,  and  it  is  allowed  to  stand  for  ten  min- 


24  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

utes  where  it  will  keep  hot  without  boiling,  and  then  used  with 
boiling-hot  milk  and  sugar.  Of  course  the  coffee-pot  must  be 
of  such  a  size  that  the  bag  of  coffee  will  be  entirely  covered 
with  the  boiling  water. 

Coffee  made  in  this  way  is  clear  and  fragrant,  absolutely 
harmless  to  the  digestive  organs,  and  as  delicious  as  coffee" 
should  be.  The  boiling-hot  milk  is  a  necessity  for  those  who 
like  coffee  hot.  The  coffee-pot  should  be  rinsed  with  clean 
boiling  water  after  the  coffee  is  used,  and  then  thoroughly 
dried  ;  the  bag  should  be  rinsed  in  boiling  water  to  free  it 
from  grounds,  and  then  dried  before  it  is  again  put  into 
the  coffee-pot.  No  soap  should  be  used  upon  it,  nor  any 
soapy  water  ;  simply  water  that  has  been  boiled  before  it 
is  used.  If  this  method  is  followed,  clear  coffee  will  always 
be  the  order  of  the  day. 


COFFEE  —  V. 


The  Right  and  Wrong  Ways  of  Making  Coffee,  as 
Described  by  Mrs.  D.  A.  Lincoln. 

THE  WRONG  WAY. 

|UY  the  cheapest  coffee — that  is,  the  kind 
which  costs  the  least  money  —  without 
regard  to  its  purity  or  quality.  Use 
more  or  less  coffee,  just  as  it  happens ; 
accurate  measurement  is  not  essential. 
Put  it  in  an  old  tin  coffee-pot ;  pour  on 
water  from  the  tea-kettle — never  mind 
about  the  quantity  or  its  temperature, 
or  the  time  it  has  been  in  the  kettle, 
since,  as  it  comes  from  the  tea-kettle,  it 
must  be  all  right.  Let  it  boil  indefi- 
nitely, and  if,  when  breakfast  is  ready, 
the  water  has  boiled  away,  just  pour  in 
more.  If  you  can  afford  it,  add  one  or  two  eggs  at  any  time 
during  the  process,  when  you  happen  to  think  of  it.  If  it  be 
roily,  strain  it,  if  you  can  find  a  strainer,  and  serve  it  with — 
yes,  common  brown  sugar  and  skim  milk  will  do,  if  you  choose 
to  think  so.  The  compound  is — what  ? 

If  there  be  any  left,  keep  it  warm  on  the  back  of  the  stove 
until  the  next  meal.  As  this  long  steeping  makes  it  dark,  it 
must  be  strong,  so,  add  more  water.  After  dinner  set  the  pot 
away,  and  the  next  morning  pour  out  the  old  grounds  ;  rinse  it 


26  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

or  not — just  as  your  time  will  allow — and  repeat  the  process  of 
making.  Wash  the  coffee-pot  occasionally  if  the  outside  need 
it,  but  rinsing  is  sufficient  for  the  inside. 

THE  RIGHT  WAY. 

Buy  pure  coffee— not  necessarily  that  which  costs  most — but 
buy  it  from  some  reliable  dealer.  Mixtures  of  one-third  Mocha 
and  two- thirds  Java,  or  half  Mocha  and  half  male  berry  Java, 
have  given  general  satisfaction.  There  are  some  varieties  of 
South  American  coffee  which  are  very  good.  Occasionally  one 
finds  a  brand,  through  some  friend  who  is  in  the  business,  or 
who  has  had  opportunity  of  procuring  it  directly  from  coffee- 
growing  countries,  which  is  of  such  remarkable  excellence  that 
it  leads  one  to  suspect  that  much  of  the  best  coffee  grown  is 
not  in  the  market. 

The  raw  berries  are  tough,  difficult  to  grind,  and  have  but 
little  flavor.  Roasting  makes  the  berries  brittle  and  crisp,  and 
when  properly  done  develops  a  fine  flavor  ;  but  when  half  done 
or  done  to  excess,  the  result  is  a  raw  or  bitter  flavor.  Many 
prefer  to  roast  and  grind  the  coffee  for  themselves  ;  but  in 
coffee  houses  the  arrangements  for  roasting  are  so  complete, 
that  it  is  better  for  small  families  to  buy  roasted  coffee  and  to 
grind  it  as  needed,  or  to  buy  it  ground  in  a  small  quantity.  It 
should  be  kept  in  air-tight  tin  cans  or  glass  jars,  that  the  fine 
flavor  may  be  preserved. 

Opinions  vary  as  to  the  best  kind  of  coffee-pot.  Some  pre- 
fer porcelain  or  granite  ware,  others  prefer  tin,  but  all  good 
housekeepers  agree  that  absolute  cleanliness  is  of  the  utmost 
importance.  The  pot  should  be  cleansed  every  time  it  is  used 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  27 

— all  parts  of  it,  the  spout  not  excepted.  A  brown  deposit  is 
soon  formed  on  the  inside  of  the  pot  if  the  coffee  be  allowed  to 
stand  in  it  long,  or  if  it  be  not  often  and  thoroughly  cleansed. 

An  important  point,  and  one  often  overlooked  even  by  intelli- 
gent housekeepers,  is  that  the  water  should  be  freshly  boiled 
in  a  clean  kettle.  Water,  in  boiling,  loses  the  air  or  gases 
which  give  it  a  fresh  taste  and  sparkling  appearance.  It  should 
be  used  as  soon  as  boiled,  or  it  becomes  'flat  and  tasteless.  A 
brown  substance  is  deposited  on  the  inside  of  the  kettle,  and 
this,  if  allowed  to  accumulate,  imparts  an  unpleasant  taste  to 
the  water  ;  yet  there  are  many  housekeepers,  exquisitely  neat 
in  many  ways,  who  seldom  wash  the  inside  of  a  tea-kettle.  It 
is  an  excellent  plan  to  keep  a  small  kettle  to  be  used  only  in 
boiling  water  for  tea  or  coffee.  Wash  and  wipe  it  carefully 
every  time  it  is  used. 

The  proportions  of  water  and  coffee  are  one  heaping  table- 
spoonful  of  ground  coffee  to  one  half-pint  cupful  of  boiling 
water.  Reduce  the  amount  of  coffee  slightly  when  several 
cupfuls  are  required.  It  takes  a  larger  proportionate  amount 
of  both  coffee  and  water  to  make  just  enough  for  one  cupful 
than  for  more,  as  the  grounds  absorb  a  certain  portion  of  the 
water,  and  the  last  coffee  poured  out  is  not  as  clear  as  the  first. 
*  Coffee  should  be  made  in  such  a  way  that  the  full  strength  and 
aroma  may  be  obtained  without  developing  the  tannic  acid. 

Whether  coffee  shall  be  boiled  or  not  will  probably  be  always 
a  question.  Many  think  it  has  a  raw  taste  if  not  boiled  ;  others 
contend  that,  in  boiling,  much  of  the  aroma  is  lost.  Boiling 
makes  the  mixture  roily,  and  it  must  stand  long  enough  to  let 
the  grounds  settle  and  the  liquid  become  clear.  Some  albumin- 


28  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

ous  material  will  help  to  clear  it.  Fish  skin,  isinglass,  cold 
water,  and  eggs  are  used  for  this  purpose.  Eggs  give  it  a  flavor 
and  body,  and,  no  doubt,  improve  an  inferior  quality  of  coffee ; 
but  they  increase  the  cost  of  the  beverage,  as,  aside  from  their 
own  cost,  they  clog  the  grounds,  thus  making  a  larger  amount 
of  coffee  necessary  to  obtain  the  desired  strength.  But  if 
coffee  must  be  boiled,  let  it  be  boiled  in  a  closely  covered 
vessel,  with  a  thimble  or  cork  in  the  spout,  as,  if  left  uncov- 
ered, the  volatile  oil  which  forms  the  fragrant  aroma  is  dissi- 
pated ;  and  it  should  never  boil  more  than  five  minutes,  as 
longer  boiling  extracts  the  tannic  acid.  There  is  a  widely 
prevalent  but  erroneous  notion  that  long  boiling  extracts  more 
of  the  strength  and  color,  and  is,  therefore,  more  economical ; 
but  strength  and  color  thus  gained  are  obtained  at  the  expense 
of  flavor  and  wholesomeness. 

After  thorough  trial  of  several  methods  of  making  coffee,  I 
have  found  filtering  (or  percolation)  the  simplest,  most  eco- 
nomical, and  most  satisfactory.  Various  modifications  of  the 
biggin,  or  French  filter  coffee-pot,  are  in  use.  This  is  a  double 
coffee-pot,  with  one  or  more  strainers  in  the  upper  pot.  Some 
of  these  biggins  are  expensive,  and  soon  get  out  of  order  ;  but 
others  are  very  simple,  and,  with  care,  will  last  a  long  time. 
The  coffee  should  be  ground  very  fine,  and  be  placed  in  the 
upper  pot.  Some  varieties  have  a  convex,  coarse  strainer  in 
the  bottom,  to  keep  the  grounds  from  clogging  the  fine  strainer. 
Then  a  coarse  strainer  is  placed  over  the  grounds,  the  boiling 
water  is  poured  in,  and  allowed  to  drip  slowly  through  the 
coffee  into  the  lower  receptacle.  Many  of  the  coffee-pots  made 
on  this  principle  are  placed  in  another  vessel  containing  boil- 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  29 

ing  water  ;  but,  if  there  he  only  two  parts  to  it,  the  coffee-pub 
should  stand  where  the  coffee,  as  it  drips  through,  will  keep 
hot,  but  will  not  boil.  If  the  upper  part  be  not  large  enough  to 
contain  all  the  water  desired,  it  must  be  poured  on  in  small 
portions.  The  full  strength  and  aroma  are  thus  obtained  ;  no 
clearing  is  necessary,  and,  if  care  be  taken  to  observe  all  the 
minor  points  in  the  directions,  the  beverage  will  invariably  be 
good. 

For  good  breakfast  coffee,  cream,  scalded  milk,  and  block 
sugar  are  necessary.  The  milk  should  be  scalding  hot,  but 
never  boiled,  as  boiled  milk  gives  an  unpleasant  flavor.  Ascer- 
tain the  tastes  of  those  at  the  table,  as  most  coffee  drinkers 
prefer  to  have  the  coffee  poured  on  the  cream  and  sugar.  One 
tablespoonful  of  cream,  two  of  hot  milk,  and  two  blocks  of 
sugar,  with  an  extra  block  in  the  saucer,  is  a  fair  proportion 
for  a  breakfast  cup.  Pour  in  the  coffee  until  the  cup  is  three- 
fourths  full.  Never  fill  it  to  overflowing. 

After-dinner  coffee,  or  black  coffee,  is  made  in  the  same  way, 
a  double  proportion  of  coffee  being  used.  It  should  be  very 
strong,  and  perfectly  clear.  Serve  it  in  small  cups,  with  block 
sugar  if  desired,  but  not  with  cream  or  milk,  as  the  milk 
counteracts  the  purpose  for  which  the  coffee  is  taken. 

Coffee  is  stimulating,  and,  when  taken  clear  and  very  strong 
after  a  hearty  meal,  aids  digestion  ;  but,  when  combined  with 
cream  or  milk,  a  leathery  compound  is  formed,  which  is  indi- 
gestible*and  irritates  the  internal  membranes. 


COFFEE  — VI. 


A  Cup  of  Good  Coffee,  as  Described  and  Prepared 
by  Catherine  Owen. 

1  EOPLE  often  speak  of  the  delicious 
coffee  they  drank  at  this  place  or  that, 
as  something  quite  unattainable  in  tbeir 
own  homes  ;  yet,  as  rich,  fragrant,  clear 
coffee  is  no  more  expensive  than  strong 
coffee — thick  and  muddy,  bitter,  but  not 
fragrant  —  there  is  no  reason  why  every 
one  should  not  revel  in  the  simple  luxury. 
First  of  all,  as  to  the  pot  :  Some  people 
seem  to  have  quite  a  superstition  about 
a  coffee-pot.  The  fact  is  that  any  abso- 
lutely clean  pot  will  make  good  coffee,  and  I  have  made  as 
good  coffee  in  a  warmed  pitcher  as  ever  was  made  in  the 
most  perfect  of  filtering  pots. 

Strong  French  or  filtered  coffee  is  not  used  in  many  fam- 
ilies, because  it  is  believed  to  be  more  expensive  ;  but  this 
mistake  conies  from  the  fact  that  the  experiment  is  often 
made  with  coffee  too  coarsely  ground.  Grocers  usually  grind 
coffee  like  coarse  oatmeal  ;  but  coffee  so  used  is*very  ex- 
travagant, for  you  require  double  the  quantity  necessary. 
Coffee  should  be  ground  as  fine  as  coarse  corn  meal — not  so 
fine  as  flour,  or  it  will  clog  the  strainer — and  it  should  be 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  31 

freshly  ground  each  time  coffee  is  made.     These  rules  apply 
both  to  boiled  and  filtered  coffee. 

To  MAKE  FRENCH  COFFEE. 

Allow  for  strong  breakfast  coffee,  one  tablespoonful  of  finely- 
ground  coffee  for  each  person,  and  half  a  pint  of  boiling  water 
to  each  spoonful.  Put  the  coffee  into  the  strainer,  and  set  it 
where  it  will  get  heated,  but  not  burn  (the  flavor  of  both  coffee 
and  tea  are  improved  by  being  warmed  before  the  water  is 
added)*.  Pour  the  freshly-boiled  water  on  the  coffee  ten  min- 
utes before  breakfast.  Coffee  is  spoiled  if  made  too  long. 

If  you  use  the  usual  French  coffee-pot  with  two  strainers, 
you  will  save  time  by  pouring  the  water  on  a  little  at  a 
time.  There  is,  however,  a  coffee-pot  that  is  easier  for  gen- 
eral use,  as  the  water  can  all  be  poured  on  at  once  ;  the 
process  is  then  exactly  the  same  as  making  tea,  except  that 
part  of  the  water  must  be  poured  out  and  returned. 

For  black,  after-dinner  coffee,  you  require  four  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  coffee  to  a  pint  of  water. 

You  must  remember  that,  in  using  little  water,  you  make 
very  strong  coffee,  and  you  need  only  each  cup  one-third 
or  half  full ;  then  fill  it  up  with  foaming,  hot  milk.  If  you 
live  in  a  city,  this  is  the  real  expense  ;  but  a  cup  of  such 
coffee  is  far  more  nourishing  than  the  usual  weak  coffee 
just  clouded  with  milk.  For  instance  :  If  you  put  a  pint 
of  water  on  a  tablespoonful  of  coffee,  you  get  two  cups  of 
coffee  too  weak  to  allow  much  milk.  If  you  put  one-half 
pint  of  water  to  a  tablespoonful  of  coffee,  you  get  two  half 
cups,  rich  and  strong,  each  of  which  will  allow  being  filled 
up  with  boiling  milk.  Therefore,  you  get  the  same  quantity 


32  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

of  the  beverage  in  one  way  as  the  other  ;  but  one  will  be 
fragrant  and  nourishing,  the  other  will  be  neither. 

Just  here  let  me  digress  from  the  actual  making  of  coffee 
to  another  matter  that  concerns  coffee  drinkers.  It  is  often 
said  by  those  who  drink  weak  coffee  for  breakfast,  such  as 
would  be  made  by  using  a  pint  of  water  to  a  tablespoonful 
of  coffee,  that  they  would  be  afraid  to  drink  strong  coffee. 
They  will  perhaps  see  from  the  above  that  they  consume 
just  as  much  coffee — and  whatever  unwholesome  ingredient 
it  may  contain — in  the  one  case  as  the  other,  but  that,  in 
one  case,  it  is  diluted  with  water,  and  in  the  other  with 
milk.  The  moral  they  can  draw  for  themselves. 

Any  reader  who  has  not  tried  making  French  coffee,  and 
has  no  proper  pot,  can  experiment  in  the  following  way : 

FRENCH  COFFEE  IN  A  PITCHER. 

Put  two  full  tablespoonfuls  of  finely-ground  coffee  in  a  well 
warmed  pitcher  ;  pour  on  it  a  pint  of  freshly-boiled  water,  and 
stir  it  to  saturate  the  coffee  :  cover  close  with  a  cloth  pressed 
into  the  top,  and  let  it  stand  on  the  range  five  minutes.  Have 
another  heated  vessel  (a  pitcher,  if  you  choose);  lay  a  piece  of 
muslin  (scalded)  over  it,  and  pour  the  coffee  carefully  through. 
it.  This  will  be  clear,  fragrant  coffee. 

BOILED  COFFEE. 

This  is  preferred  by  many,  although  it  lacks  the  aroma  of  fil- 
tered coffee,  which  some  consider  a  raw  flavor.  Put  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  coffee  into  an  ordinary  coffee-pot,  with  a  pint  of 
boiling  water.  Stir  it  well  ;  then  let  it  just  boil  up,  and  set  it 
where  it  will  keep  hot,  but  not  boil.  Throw  into  it  a  table- 
spoonful  of  cold  water,  and  in  five  minutes  pour  out  a  cupful  of 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  33 

the  coffee,  return  it  to  the  pot,  repeat  this,  leave  it  five  minutes 
to  settle,  and  the  coffee  will  be  perfectly  clear,  without  any  egg 
to  clear  it. 

Of  course  I  am  assuming,  when  I  promise  good  coffee  from 
either  of  these  methods,  that  you  use  the  best  quality  of 
coffee.  Out  of  poor  coffee  you  may  may  make  a  clear  liquid, 
but  you  can  never  make  fine  coffee.  By  fresh-boiled  water, 
I  mean  water  which  has  not  been  kept  boiling,  but  is  used 
as  soon  as  it  boils. 

But  it  is  not  enough  to  know  how  to  make  good  coffee. 
There  are  mysteries  about  it  which  beset  even  those  who 
understand  how  to  make  it — periods  when  the  coffee  will 
be  poor  in  spite  of  the  quantity  or  quality  of  coffee  used, 
or  it  will  be  bitter,  black,  and  flavorless,  even  though  we 
know  we  have  the  finest  Java,  the  very  same  that  has  yielded 
golden  fragrance  to  us  heretofore.  So  it  seems  to  me  not 
enough  to  tell  how  to  perform  the  simple  feat  of  making 
coffee,  but  how  to  explain  the  periodical  deterioration  to 
which  it  is  subject.  The  first  difficulty  is  that  of  a  weak 
product,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  you  know  the  right  quan- 
tity of  coffee,  and  not  too  much  water,  is  used.  You  may 
be  almost  sure,  in  this  instance,  that  the  coffee  is  not  ground 
fine  enough,  half  of  it,  probably,  being  as  large  as  rice.  Alter 
the  screw  of  your  mill.  It  is  harder  work  to  grind  coffee 
when  the  mill  is  screwed  tight,  and  you  may  not  find  it  easy 
to  keep  it  screwed  just  right,  for  it  will  develop  a  perverse 
tendency  to  loosen  under  Delia's  care,  which  you  will  know 
by  your  coffee  being  weak  and  your  grocer's  bill  long. 

Another  trouble  that  seems  sometimes  unaccountable  :  The 


34  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

coffee  will  be  cloudy  in  spite  of  strainers.  There  is  only  one 
honest  reason  for  this — the  coffee  may  be  ground  too  fine. 
But  this  is  unlikely ;  it  is  more  probable  that  the  water  has 
been  poured  all  at  once  into  the  strainer,  instead  of  gradu- 
ally. This  would  have  taken  a  long  time  to  drip  through, 
and  a  spoon  has  been  used  to  facilitate  the  process,  and 
muddy  coffee  is  the  result. 

Sometimes  families  will  have  trouble  of  another  sort.  The 
coffee  will  be  strong  and  bitter,  without  aroma,  and  when 
milk  is  added,  instead  of  the  beautiful,  clear  brown  it  should 
be,  it  will  be  of  a  blackish  hue.  This  kind  of  poor  coffee 
will  come  to  the*  table  week  after  week,  and  the  quality  of 
the  coffee  itself  be  blamed.  It  comes  from  one  of  two  causes  : 
It  has  been  made  too  long  and  kept  hot  in  the  pot,  or  the 
pot  itself  is  not  well  kept. 

Not  even  milk-pans  require  more  scrupulous  care  than  the 
coffee-pot.  It  may  be  rinsed  after  each  time  of  using,  and 
yet  be  far  from  clean.  There  is  an  oily  property  about  coffee 
which  adheres  in  spite  of  rinsing  out.  You  can  see  this  for 
yourself  by  taking  almost  any  coffee-pot  that  has  been  some 
time  in  use  (unless  it  has  been  very  carefully  kept),  and 
you  will  find  clinging  to  it  a  sort  of  black  grease  (not  brown); 
this  will  come  off  if  you  rub  a  cloth  round  the  inside.  Now, 
this  deposit,  for  some  reason  which  I  should  like  to  have 
explained,  destroys  the  fragrance,  color,  and  flavor  of  coffee. 
If  you  see  your  coffee  looks  black-brown  instead  of  ruddy 
brown,  you  will  know  it  will  be  flavorless,  however  strong. 

To  keep  this  black  oil  from  the  pot  it  must  be  daily  washed 
(not  rinsed),  scalded,  and  dried.  Each  piece  of  a  French 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 


35 


coffee-pot  should  be  separately  dried  before  it  is  put  away. 
If  packed  together  wet,  the  strainers  will  in  time  give  a 
metallic  taste.  Another  reason  for  great  care  is  that,  without 
it,  the  strainers  get  clogged  and  the  coffee  will  not  go  through. 

If  you  find  your  coffee-pot  has  been  neglected,  put  a  piece 
of  washing  soda  as  large  as  a  hickory-nut  into  hot  water  ; 
set  the  strainers  in  it  ;  let  them  stand  on  the  stove  for  hours  ; 
put  the  same  in  the  coffee-pot  ;  then  rub  and  brush  both 
till  the  wire  gauze  is  clear  and  all  the  black  removed  ;  then 
run  boiling  wa'er  slowly  through,  and  dry  it.  Let  the  care 
be  daily  afterwards.  The  grease  will  not  form,  nor  will  the 
gauze  fill  up,  if  a  pint  or  so  of  boiling  water  is  poured 
through  every  morning  and  it  is  dried  before  being  put  away. 
Cold  water  is  worse  than  useless,  as  it  sets  the  oil.  Some- 
times the  coffee-pot  is  put  away  exactly  as  it  leaves  the  table, 
Tvith  left-over  coffee  in  it.  This  should  never  be. 

In  drying  the  coffee-pot,  or  warming  it,  be  careful  not  to 
let  it  get  too  hot,  or  there  will  be  the  flavor  of  burnt  coffee 
to  spoil  the  beverage  for  that  occasion. 


THE  STOEY  OF  COFFEE. 


Its  History,  Properties  and  Powers,  as  described  by 
Hester  M.  Poole. 

T  would  be  almost  as  desirable  to  know 
who  drank  the  first  decoction  of  coffee  as- 
"who  tamed  the  first  wild  steed,"  or 
"who  first  conquered  fire."  Perhapsy 
like  Charles  Lamb's  roast  pig,  it  was  first 
parched  through  the  burning  of  a  rude 
cabin,  near  which  grew  the  odorous  and 
inviting  shrub.  Some  of  the  roasted  ber- 
ries may  have  fallen  into  a  calabash  of 
water,  whose  primitive  possessor,  weary 
and  thirsty  through  vain  efforts  to  save 
his  shelter,  drank  unwittingly  of  the  de- 
coction, and,  in  the  bewitching  cup,  made  a  great  discovery 
while  drowning  his  sense  of  misfortune.  All  great  benefits  to- 
mankind  have  their  origin  in  obscurity.  It  will  never  be  known 
whether  coffee  was  first  used  in  Abyssinia,  Arabia,  or  Ethiopia, 
as  the  plant  grows  wild  in  each  of  these  countries.  Its  name 
is  derived  from  Kaffa,  in  Eastern  Africa,  and  a  Mahometan 
legend  ascribes  its  discovery  to  a  party  of  dervishes,  who,  for 
some  misdemeanor,  were  banished  from  the  city  of  Mocha  on 
or  about  the  year  1250.  Repairing  to  the  mountains  of  Yemen, 
they  came  near  starvation  before  finding  that,  upon  chewing 
the  wild  coffee  berry,  their  strength  was  marvellously  sup- 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  37 

ported  and  hunger  relieved  during  enforced  fasts  and  vigils. 
The  prior,  Sheykh  Omer,  began  to  steep  the  berries  in  water 
and  to  dry  a  store  of  the  fruit  for  sustenance  during  long 
marches.  Its  use  spread  to  other  dervishes,  then  to  Mecca  and 
Mocha,  Damascus  and  Aleppo,  till,  in  the  year  1550,  coffee 
became  the  favorite  drink  in  Constantinople,  in  which  city 
coffee-houses  were  soon  after  opened.  If  Prior  Omer  has  not 
yet  been  canonized,  he  should  certainly  fill  the  first  vacant 
niche,  for,  surely,  110  man  ever  conferred  greater  enjoyment 
upon  his  fellows.  Yet,  during  a  long  period — perhaps  for  ages 
— the  wild  tribes  in  the  interior  of  Africa  had  before  that  date 
used  the  berry,  and  the  incident  of  the  burning  of  the  primitive 
hut  is  neither  far-fetched  nor  improbable. 

As  the  mosques  were  comparatively  deserted  for  the  coffee- 
houses, the  Mufti  was  petitioned  to  issue  edicts  against  the 
use  of  a  beverage  so  delicious  as  to  cause  the  sons  of  the  faith- 
ful to  forget  the  call  to  prayer,  and  for  a  little  while  it  was  a 
secret  and  stolen  delight.  Seeing  that  it  could  not  be  sup- 
pressed, the  priests,  with  an  eye  to  the  main  chance — common 
to  the  powers  that  be  in  all  nations — wisely  decided  to  impose 
a  high  tax  upon  the  berry,  and  the  coffee  bean,  from  that  day 
to  this,  has  been  the  daily  inspiration  of  the  dreamy,  sensuous, 
and  fate-worshiping  Turk. 

It  was  not  until  about  the  year  1670  that  coffee-drinking 
became  popular  in  France,  though  infrequent  travelers  had 
brought  with  them  from  the  East  a  few  pounds  of  the  curious 
berry.  At  that  time  Solomon  Aga  was  sent  from  the  Sublime 
Porte  to  the  court  of  Louis  XIV.,  and  he  became  very  soon  the 
rage,  through  the  splendid  and  unique  entertainments  at  which 


38  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

he  figured  as  host.  Costly  Eastern  stuffs,  at  that  time  sel- 
dom found  in  the  elegant  capital,  displayed  the  rich  and  har- 
monious coloring  of  which  the  Turks  are  masters.  Divans  and 
cushions  of  embroidered  velvet  shot  with  gold,  prayer  rugs  of 
every  kind  and  device,  vestments  of  many  hues,  bedizened 
with  jewels  and  diamonds — all  these  made  him  the  magnate  of 
the  city. 

Most  of  all,  the  gay  world  coveted  the  services  of  exquisite 
porcelain  and  silver,  the  napkins  fringed  with  bullion,  and — 
served  in  cups  of  egg-shell  porcelain,  hot,  strong,  and  fragrant 
— tha.t  delicious  coffee  which  has  never  lost  the  place  it  then 
secured.  On  bended  knees  the  slaves  of  the  ambassador  pre- 
sented the  choicest  Mocha  to  these  grande  dames,  who  fluttered 
their  fans  with  many  grimaces  and  bent  their  piquant  faces 
— bepatched,  bepowdered,  and  berouged — over  the  steaming 
beverage.  Such  were  the  half-barbaric  occasions  upon  which 
coffee  first  became  generally  known  to  that  nation  which  i» 
now  so  largely  dependent  upon  the  tiny  brown  berry  of  Arabia. 
Four  years  afterward  an  Armenian  opened  the  first  coffee- 
house to  the  Parisian  public.  Others  followed  his  example, 
and  a  little  later  beer  and  wine  were  also  served  at  the  same 
establishments.  Finer  than  any  of  his  predecessors  came  a> 
dusky  Italian  from  Florence,  and  to  his  salon  flocked  the  chief 
literary  men  of  the  last  quarter  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
Coffee  became  a  tyrant,  and,  as  tyrant,  it  still  holds  matutinal 
and  undisputed  sway  over  the  civilized  portions  of  the  earth. 

Common  as  it  is  in  this  age,  it  was  then  an  expensive  luxury* 
The  cultivation  of  the  plant  was  confined  to  small  districts, 
navigation  tedious,  and  commerce  with  the  East  restricted.  It 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  39 

is  recorded  that  the  daughters  of  King  Louis  of  France  had 
coffee  imported  for  the  use  of  the  royal  household  at  a  cost  of 
£3,200  yearly, — a  fact  which,  after  making  all  due  allowance, 
shows  that  "rings"  must  have  existed  as  far  back  as  two  cen- 
turies ago.  The  exact  date  of  the  introduction  of  coffee  into 
England  is  not  known.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  about  the 
middle  of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  it  became  a  popular 
drink  there  earlier  than  in  France.  Perhaps  this  may  be  due 
to  the  fact  that  the  first  English  merchant  who  dealt  in  coffee 
had  lived  in  Constantinople,  and  brought  back  with  him  to 
London  a  pretty  Greek  wife,  who  acted  as  his  saleswoman. 
At  first  it  sold  for  four  or  five  guineas  per  pound,  but  soon 
became  cheaper. 

Coffee-houses  multiplied,  not  only  in  the  capital,  but  in  all 
the  large  cities.  Long  antedating  common  newspapers,  these 
shops  were  news  centers,  where  the  intelligent  men  of  the  age 
gathered  to  learn  what  was  taking  place,  to  discuss  public 
affairs  and  governmental  measures,  and  form  public  opinion. 
Considering  that  they  were  hot-beds  of  sedition  and  revolution, 
Charles  II.  ordered  them  closed  in  1675,  but  the  order  was  soon 
revoked.  Cromwell  ordered  them  closed  again  during  the  Pro- 
tectorate for  reasons  somewhat  similar  ;  but  they  had  become 
necessities  to  the  people,  and  could  not  be  put  down  for  any 
great  length  of  time. 

Wits  and  poets,  essayists  and  philosophers,  daily  gathered  in 
the  coffee-houses  of  London  during  several  generations.  How 
much  they  quoted  from  favorite  authors — how  faithfully  they 
harangued  and  button-holed  each  other  in  that  fashion,  com- 
mon to  all  ages,  from  the  cloudy  eras  of  the  Chimpanzees  to 


40  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

the  year  of  our  Lord  1887 — there  are  no  annals  full  enough  to 
describe.  Within  their  precincts,  what  fear  and  folly,  what 
foolishness  and  wisdom,  have  been  uttered  over  steaming  cups 
of  Mocha  ! 

It  was  at  Will's  Coffee-house,  Co  vent  Garden,  that  Dryden 
and  Addison,  Steele  and  Davenant,  Carey  and  Pope,  met  with 
other  luminaries,  and  if  it  be  proven  that  other  potations, 
more  fiery  and  deep,  mingled  with  those  of  the  Eastern  berry, 
it  may  well  be  surmised  that  coffee  often  supplied  the  place  of 
worse  beverages,  or  mitigated  their  evil  effects.  The  "  intel- 
lectual drink,"  as  it  has  been  called,  gained  friends  every  day 
among  the  wits  of  the  reign  of  Queen  Anne.  Here  Pope  found 
the  inspiration  of  "The  Rape  of  the  Lock,"  if  not  the  "Essay 
on  Man,"  an  inspiration  which  he  celebrated  in  these  lines  : 

"  From  silver  spouts  the  grateful  liquors  glide, 
While  China's  earth  receives  the  smoking  tide  ; 
At  once  they  gratify  their  sense  and  taste, 
And  frequent  cups  prolong  the  rich  repast. 
Coffee  ! — which  makes  the  politician  wise, 
And  see  through  all  things  with  his  half -shut  eyes  !" 

Prior  to  the  year  1700,  coffee  planting  had  been  confined  to 
Africa.  The  preceding  year  the  President  of  the  Dutch  East 
Indies  had  brought  some  of  the  shrubs  to  Batavia,  and  Java 
rapidly  became  one  of  the  first  coffee-bearing  countries — now 
exporting  more  than  75,000  tons  annually.  A  shrub  was  sent 
from  Batavia  to  Amsterdam  shortly  after,  and  in  1710  a  shoot 
from  this  plant  was  taken  as  a  curiosity  to  Louis  XIV.,  who 
had  it  carefully  tended  in  the  Jardin  des  Plants,  where  it 
flourished  for  some  years. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  41 

But,  with  the  development  of  the  New  World,  coffee  was  a 
necessary  concomitant.  Across  the  stormy  ocean,  to  the  Island 
of  Martinique,  the  Grand  Monarch  sent  three  plants  in  1720, 
only  one  of  which  survived  the  voyage,  and  from  this  one  shrub 
have  sprung  all  the  rich  and  expensive  plantations  of  the  West 
Indies  and  Central  and  South  America. 

It  was  not  till  the  year  1754  that  the  first  coffee  tree  was 
planted  by  a  friar  in  the  garden  of  the  convent  to  which  he 
was  attached  in  Rio  Janeiro,  and  not  till  1809  did  the  first 
cargo  of  coffee  laud  on  the  shores  of  the  United  States.  Now, 
three-quarters  of  our  coffee  comes  from  Brazil,  although  much 
of  it  is  sold  under  the  name  of  Mocha  or  Java,  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce  report  itself  declaring  that  the  "  Santos  pea  berry 
and  other  similar  appearing  beans  are  used  by  mixers  to  sup- 
plement the  supply  of  genuine  Mocha."  It  would  be  a  gratifi- 
cation to  be  able  to  say  that  no  other  mixing  or  adulteration 
is  practiced. 

Brazil,  under  the  enlightened  statesmanship  of  Dom  Pedro, 
now  ships  from  her  ports  over  one  million  of  pounds  daily, 
Sundays  included,  only  a  portion  of  which  comes  to  this 
country.  At  our  ports,  chiefly  at  New  York,  vessels  are  un- 
loading which  received  their  precious  freightage  at  Maracaibo, 
Central  America,  Savanilla,  Hayti,  Porto  Rico,  Jamaica,  Ma- 
cassar, Ceylon  and  Mexico,  as  well  as  from  places  which  have 
been  previously  mentioned. 

In  the  year  1886,  247,141  tons  of  coffee  were  used  in  the 
United  States,  against  242,677  tons  in  1885.  This  gives  an 
increase  in  one  year  of  1.8  per  cent,  making  the  per  capita 
consumption  of  the  population  of  60,000,000  to  be  9.22  pounds, 


42  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

nearly  nine  pounds  and  a  quarter  for  every  man,  woman  and 
child  in  this  country. 

As  may  be  supposed,  the  consumption  of  the  berry  is  yearly 
increasing.  While  this  is  due  partly  to  the  growth  of  popula- 
tion, it  is  still  more  affected  by  the  increasing  popularity  of 
coffee  as  a  beverage,  by  its  relative  cheapness,  and  by  the  fact 
that  it  is  prepared  much  easier  than  before  it  was  sold  in  its 
roasted  state.  The  loss  and  labor  entailed  in  the  preliminary 
preparation  deterred  many  housekeepers  from  its  use.  A  mo- 
ment's forge tfulness  or  preoccupation  converted  the  berry  into 
a  piece  of  charcoal,  and  rendered  it  bitter  and  innutritions. 
Now,  by  the  aid  of  large  roasting  establishments  and  improved 
machinery,  that  tedious  process  is  thoroughly  done,  though, 
it  must  be  confessed,  with  the  loss  of  a  slight  portion  of  its 
volatile  aroma. 

This  loss,  again,  is  more  than  balanced  by  the  avoidance  of  a 
more  serious  trouble.  Large  dealers  well  know  that,  in  order 
to  give  coffee  a  good  color  and  thereby  increase  its  value,  the 
traders  in  Rio  and  manipulators  in  New  York  use  vile  drugs, 
coloring  matter,  and  soapstone.  To  buy  this  green  coffee  and 
roast  it  at  home  is  to  take  slow  poision,  because  this  adultera- 
tion is  not  wholly  dissipated  by  the  process  of  roasting.  The 
large  roasters  of  the  country  do  not  buy  this  doctored  berry ; 
they  care  nothing  for  the  appearance  if  the  coffee  roasts  well, 
and  is  clear  and  free  from  "quakers"  or  decayed  berries. 
Therefore  it  is  better  to  buy  roasted  coffee  of  the  retailer, 
either  in  paper  packages  or  out  of  tins  bearing  the  name  of  a 
reputable  house,  and  refuse  to  purchase  the  green  under  any 
circumstances.  The  can  from  which  it  is  tak-  n  should  be 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  43 

practically  air-tight.  Coffee  scooped  from  the  top  must  come 
in  contact,  more  or  less,  with  the  atmosphere,  and  readily  loses 
its  value.  Nothing  so  quickly  parts  with  its  delicate  aroma ; 
nothing  so  easily  absorbs  injurious  or  disagreeable  particles 
from  surrounding  substances.  The  near  presence  of  decayed 
vegetables,  kerosene  oil,  effluvia,  or  foul  air  of  any  kind,  not 
only  destroys  its  delicacy,  but  may  render  it  deleterious.  Tliat 
very  quality  which  makes  it  capable  of  cleansing  a  room  of  foul 
odors  is  the  very  property  which  makes  it  dangerous  to  expose 
it  to  them. 

The  average  consumption  of  coffee  per  head  now  amounts  to 
slightly  over  nine  and  a  half  pounds  yearly,  an  increase  of  over 
five  per  cent.,  or  about  one-half  pound  more  for  every  man, 
woman  and  child  for  one  year.  As  a  whole,  the  United  States 
consumes  coffee  largely,  but  it  has  not  reached  the  point  of 
consumption  of  Denmark,  where  the  average  is  thirteen  and  a 
half  pounds  for  each  person,  and  of  Holland,  where  the  per 
capita  consumption  is  twenty-one  pounds.  But  with  Mexico 
on  the  west  materially  increasing  her  yield  of  coffee,  and  with 
increased  railroad  facilities  for  commerce  with  this  country, 
dealers  in  the  fragrant  berry  expect  that  the  importation  this 
year  will  be  double  that  of  last  year.  Mexican  coffee  is  of 
excellent  quality,  but  loses  its  identity  by  being  mixed  with 
other  grades.  It  figures  under  other  names,  just  as  various 
kinds  of  wine  are  mingled  to  make  champagne. 

Coffee-growing  is  an  industry  as  interesting  as  it  is  important. 
In  Brazil  the  seed  is  sown  in  the  shade  of  coffee  trees  in  long 
rows.  At  the  end  of  a  year  the  plants  have  reached  about  the 
height  of  a  foot,  and  are  ready  for  transplantation.  The  grounds 


44  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

which  are  selected  for  plantations  lie  principally  between  25° 
north  and  30°  south  of  the  equator,  as  the  plant  does  not  flour- 
ish in  a  climate  where  the  thermometer  falls  below  55°.  High 
altitudes  also  favor  its  perfect  development,  and  the  best 
berries  are  found  on  hills  having  an  elevation  of  3,000  or  4,000 
feet  above  the  sea.  The  ground  must  be  rich  in  mineral  mat- 
ter, well  watered  and  well  drained. 

The  plants  are  then  removed  to  the  plantation  and  set  out  in 
long  beds,  at  a  distance  of  four  to  six  feet  apart,  with  road- 
ways between  the  beds.  The  plants  are  topped  when  reset, 
and  are  ever  after  kept  closely  pruned,  so  that  they  are  about 
twelve  feet  high,  instead  of  attaining  their  natural  growth  of 
fifteen  or  twenty  feet.  In  three  years  the  bush  bears  fruit,  and 
thereafter  for  forty  years,  being  in  full  vigor  from  its  tenth 
year  till  its  decay.  From  three  to  eight  pounds  are  plucked 
yearly  from  each  bush,  and  the  longer  the  bean  is  kept  the 
richer  will  be  its  flavor. 

And  a  beautiful  sight  it  is  when  the  coffee  unfolds  its  first 
blossoms  during  September  and  October  !  Appearing  in  clus- 
ters only  for  a  day  or  two  at  the  axils  of  the  dark-green,  shin- 
ing, evergreen  leaves,  the  scene  is  made  all  the  more  brilliant 
by  the  consciousness  of  its  evanescence.  Each  flower  consists 
of  a  small,  five-clefted  white  corolla,  affording  a  fine  contrast 
to  the  laurel-like  leaf,  some  four  or  five  inches  in  length.  The 
bright  blue  sky,  the  warm  air,  the  billowy  lines  of  foliage,  the 
clusters  of  jessamine-like  flowers,  tossing  fragrance  from  their 
tiny  bells,  the  intoxicated  butterflies  flitting  from  plant  to 
plant,  all  belong  to  a  climate  as  unlike  our  northland  as  it  is 
possible  for  the  mind  to  conceive. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  45 

Soon  the  fruit  makes  its  appearance, — green  at  first,  but 
shortly  turning  a  dark  red, — which  is  ripe  for  gathering  in 
March,  and  from  that  until  August.  The  two  seeds  or  berries 
contained  within  the  fruit,  which  is  shaped  something  like  a 
cranberry  or  a  cherry,  are  glued  together,  each  being  enveloped 
in  a  peculiar,  leathery,  parchment-like  membrane. 

The  berries  are  picked  by  hand,  care  being  taken  to  select 
only  those  which  are  perfectly  ripe.  They  are  then  thrown 
into  large,  open  yards,  paved  with  rock  and  stone,  with  a 
grade  sufficient  for  the  free  drainage  of  water.  After  a  few 
days'  exposure  to  the  sun,  the  berries  being  perfectly  dry,  they 
are  put  in  the  crusher  to  separate  the  berry  from  the  husk. 
The  coifee  is  then  passed  through  large  and  small  sieves,  one 
under  the  other,  with  a  fan  at  the  back,  by  which  means  the 
husks  are  winnowed  from  the  berry. 

Grading  follows  next,  according  to  the  size  of  the  grain. 
The  best  grade  of  coffee  is  Mocha,  the  next  Java.  The  blend- 
ing of  various  qualities  is  one  of  the  most  difficult  accomplish- 
ments, without  which,  good  coffee  is  almost  an  impossibility. 
Hence  it  is  that  retail  dealers,  who  roast  their  own  coffee,  so 
often  fail  of  success,  since  it  requires  skill,  experience,  and  a 
knowledge  of  the  properties  of  different  growths  to  produce 
blendings  which  suit  the  palate. 

As  might  be  expected,  numerous  adulterations  are  found  in 
ground  coffees  of  inferior  grades.  Some  of  them,  like  Venetian 
red  to  give  color,  are  positively  poisonous.  Others,  like  chic- 
ory, an  endive  like  the  dandelion,  are  injurious.  Tons  of  this 
root  are  annually  consumed,  many  persons  believing  that  it 
accentuates  the  flavor  of  the  real  article.  Yet  it  has  been 


46  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

proven  that  chicory  produces  heartburn,  cramps,  and,  finally, 
total  blindness. 

Besides  these,  are  less  noxious  mixtures  of  roasted  corn, 
beans,  peas,  wheat,  rye,  dandelion,  and  various  nuts.  As  long 
ago  as  1850,  18,000  pounds  of  vegetable  matter  were  sold  for 
coffee  in  the  United  States.  Professor  Sharpies,  the  State 
Assayer  of  Massachusetts,  last  year  found  that  one  favorite 
brand  contained  no  coffee  at  all.  It  was  made  up  of  green 
peas,  burnt  molasses,  and  "an  occasional  grain  of  rye."  An- 
other French  coffee  was  a  concoction  of  peas,  rye,  and  oats. 
Be  sure  of  an  honest  grocer,  is  the  moral,  unless  the  coft'ee  is 
burnt  and  ground  at  home.  Some  of  these  ingredients  are  harm- 
less enough,  but  who  wishes  to  be  deceived  and  defrauded  ? 

The  adulterations  of  ground  coffee  can  be  easily  detected. 
It  must  be  premised  here  that  the  genuine  coffee  berry  is  ex- 
tremely hard  and  tough.  Every  one  knows  the  character  of 
the  grounds  even  after  long  soaking  and  boiling.  "  Now,"  says 
an  expert,  "  a  spoonful  of  pure  coffee  placed  gently  on  the  sur- 
face of  a  glass  of  cold  water  will  float  for  some  time  and 
.  scarcely  color  the  liquid.  If  it  contains  chicory  it  will  rapidly 
absorb  the  water,  and,  sinking  to  the  bottom  of  the  glass,  com- 
municate a  deep  reddish  brown  tint  as  it  falls.  Again,  shake  a 
spoonful  of  the  coffee  with  a  wineglassful  of  water,  then  place 
the  glass  upon  the  table.  If  it  is  pure  it  will  rise  to  the  sur- 
face and  scarcely  color  the  liquid  ;  if  chicory  is  present  it  will 
sink  to  the  bottom  and  the  water  will  be  tinged  of  a  deep  red 
as  before." 

Still  again  :  "If,  when  a  few  pinches  of  the  suspected  coffee 
are  placed  upon  water  in  a  wineglass,  part  floats  and  park 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  47 

sinks,  there  is  reason  to  believe  it  is  adulterated  either  with 
chicory,  roasted  corn,  or  other  substances.  Coffee  does  not 
absorb  the  water  ;  other  substances  do.  ...  If  the  cold 
water  becomes  deeply  colored,  it  is  evidence  of  the  presence 
of  some  roasted  vegetable  or  burnt  sugar.  Or  if,  when  a  few 
grains  of  coffee,  spread  out  on  a  piece  of  glass,  are  moistened 
with  a  few  drops  of  water,  we  are  enabled  to  pick  out,  by  means 
of  a  needle,  minute  pieces  of  a  soft  substance,  the  coffee  is 
adulterated,  for  the  coffee  particles  are  hard  and  resisting." 

But,  given  coffee  pure  as  pure  can  be,  what  are  its  effects 
upon  the  system  ? 

Coffee  owes  its  stimulating  and  refreshing  qualities  to  caf- 
feine. It  also  contains  gum  and  sugar,  fat,  acids,  casein  and 
wood  fibre.  Like  tea,  it  powerfully  increases  the  respiration, 
but,  unlike  it,  does  not  effect  its  depth.  By  its  use  the  rate  of 
the  pulse  is  increased  and  the  action  of  the  skin  diminished. 
It  lessens  the  amount  of  blood  sent  to  the  organs  of  the  body, 
distends  the  veins  and  contracts  the  capillaries,  thus  prevent- 
ing wraste  of  tissue.  It  is  a  mental  stimulus  of  a  high  order, 
and  one  that  is  liable  to  great  abuse.  Through  its  fascinations 
the  scholar  burns  the  midnight  oil,  and  too  rapidly  reduces  his 
store  of  vital  force.  To  some  temperaments  it  may  be  called  a 
poison.  Carried  to  excess  it  produces  abnormal  wakefulness, 
indigestion,  acidity,  heartburn,  tremors,  debility,  irritability 
of  temper,  trembling,  irregular  pulse,  a  kind  of  intoxication 
ending  in  delirium,  and  great  injury  to  the  spinal  functions. 
Unfortunately,  there  are  many  coffee  tipplers  who  depend  upon 
it  as  a  drunkard  upon  his  dram. 

On  the  other  hand,  coffee  is  of  sovereign  efficacy  in  tiding 


48  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

over  the  nervous  system  in  emergencies.  Soldiers  in  the  late 
war  declared  they  could  march  longer  and  endure  more  hard- 
ships under  the  stimulus  of  coffee  than  under  that  of  liquor. 
During  their  long  predatory  excursions  the  tribes  of  Central 
Africa  subsist  for  many  days  at  a  time  on  a  mixture  of  coffee 
and  butter.  Made  into  balls  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter, 
one  lasts  a  man  during  twenty-four  hours.  The  Belgian  coal 
miners  live  on  a  less  quantity  of  solid  food  than  the  French 
miners,  who  are  furnished  with  a  smaller  amount  of  coffee. 

Coffee  is  also,  in  its  place,  an  excellent  medicine.  In  typhoid 
fever  its  action  is  frequently  prompt  and  decisive.  It  is  indi- 
cated in  the  early  stages  before  local  complications  arise.  Cof- 
fee dispels  stupor  and  lethargy,  is  an  antidote  for  many  kinds 
of  poison,  and  is  valuable  in  spasmodic  asthma,  hooping-cough, 
cholera  infantum,  and  Asiatic  cholera. 

It  is  also  excellent  as  a  preventive  against  infections  and 
epidemic  diseases.  In  districts  rife  with  malaria  and  fever, 
the  drinking  of  hot  coffee  before  passing  into  the  open  air  has 
enabled  persons  living  in  such  places  to  escape  contagion. 
Probably  the  nervous  system  is  aroused  to  a  positive  condition, 
in  which  fever  germs  are  rendered  innocuous. 

That  coffee  is  a  medicine  in  cases  of  extreme  alcoholism  is 
well  known,  but  it  is  hardly  understood  to  what  extent  this 
exhilarating  and  potent  beverage  might  be  used  in  place  of 
liquor.  Coffee-houses,  where  all  the  accessories  are  cheerful 
and  wholesome  for  mind  and  body,  greatly  tend  to  diminish 
drunkenness.  In  the  city  of  Birmingham,  England,  according 
to  the  report  of  the  American  Consul  a  few  years  since,  the 
seventeen  temperance  coffee-houses  in  operation  received  the 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  49 

patronage  of  20,000  men  daily,  six  days  in  the  week.  "And," 
he  truly  adds,  "a  large  proportion  of  these  visitors  would 
otherwise  have  spent  their  evenings  and  their  earnings  in 
liquor  saloons." 

The  methods  of  making  coffee  are  as  various  as  the  nations 
that  partake  of  it.  In  Arabia  the  coffee  is  freshly  roasted  and 
pounded  whenever  the  decoction  is  prepared,  and  its  flavor  is 
enhanced  by  the  addition  of  a  few  aromatic  seeds  or  a  little 
saffron.  It  is  drank  in  small  cups,  without  sugar  or  milk,  but 
hot  and  strong,  and  Oriental  hospitality  demands  that  it  be 
served  to  every  visitor.  In  country  places  the  people  use  an 
infusion  of  coffee  leaves,  steeped  like  tea  and  tasting  like  a 
mixture  of  coffee  and  tea. 

It  is  curious  to  observe  that  in  the  extremes  of  the  North 
and  South  coffee  is  alike  regarded.  In  Sweden,  near  the  mid- 
night sun,  where  the  necessaries  of  life  are  scant  and  dear,  Du 
Chaillu  found  that  the  rudest  cabin  cherished  a  little  store  of 
the  precious  berry  to  be  used  on  festive  occasions,  feasts  and 
funerals,  or  for  the  infrequent  and  welcome  traveler.  Nothing 
in  his  narration  is  more  touching  than  those  portions  in  which 
he  describes  the  hospitality  set  forth  in  the  odoriferous  cup  in 
those  hamlets  near  the  Arctic  circle,  where  salt  fish  and  sour 
milk  form  the  staple  winter  food. 

From  its  cordial  and  gently  stimulating  effect,  Western  na- 
tions may  well  join  in  the  panegyric  pronounced  upon  coffee 
by  an  Arabian,  translated  thus  :  "  O  Coffee,  thou  dispellest  the 
cares  of  the  great ;  thou  bringest  back  those  who  wander  from 
the  paths  of  knowledge  !  Coffee  is  our  gold,  and  in  the  place 
of  its  libations  we  are  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  best  and  noblest 


50  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

society.  Every  care  vanishes  when  the  cup-bearer  presents  the 
delicious  chalice  ;  it  will  circulate  freely  through  thy  veins  and 
-will  not  rankle  there.  Grief  cannot  exist  where  it  grows ; 
sorrow  humbles  itself  before  its  powers." 

Lastly,  it  may  be  said  in  the  words  of  Sidney  Smith,  "If  you 
want  to  improve  your  understanding,  drink  coffee." 

No  matter  where  the  coffee  bean  may  have  grown  or  how 
perfect  its  condition,  the  decoction  may  be  ruined  in  its  prep- 
aration. Among  the  numerous  coffee-steepers  in  the  market, 
one,  lately  devised,  seems  to  fill  all  requirements.  It  is  the 
Common-sense  Coffee-pot,  a  veritable  wonder  worker,  invented 
by  Mr.  Krag,  of  Indianapolis.  A  bag  or  filter  at  the  top,  like 
that  used  by  the  French,  is  nothing  new.  The  improvement — 
and  it  is  a  great  improvement — consists  in  a  simple  yet  ingeni- 
ous arrangement  whereby  the  steam  is  condensed  and  returned 
to  the  coffee.  By  this  means  the  delicate  aroma  is  entirely 
preserved,  and  the  coffee  made  delicious  and  strong. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  51 

A  FEW  FACTS  ABOUT  GOOD  COFFEE. 


rNFORMATION  regarding  the  making  of  good  coffee  is  worthless 
unless  the  roasted  coffee  bean  is  at  the  outset  of  good  value  itself. 
The  larger  percentage  of  roasted  coffee  sold  by  the  average  retailer 
is  inferior.  The  crude  and  ignorant  manner  in  which  roasted  coffees 
are  handled  by  the  small  dealers  is  of  itself  sufficient  to  depreciate 
and  almost  destroy  the  good  that  is  in  any  coffee  ;  and,  to  meet  this  emergency, 
the  Schnull-Krag  Coffee  Co.,  of  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  adopted  a  patent  can 
from  which  their  coffees  are  sold.  These  cans  are  sealed  as  soon  as  the  coffee 
is  placed  in  them,  and,  by  the  intervention  of  a  trap  on  the  inside  of  the  can, 
refilling  is  prevented  except  at  their  mills.  To  further  protect  the  consumer 
a  strip  of  heavy  paper  is  fastened  across  the  cap,  or  top,  of  the  can,  the  re- 
moval of  which  becomes  evidence  of  an  attempt  at  tampering  with  the  contents. 
The  coffee  placed  in  these  cans  comes  hot  from  the  coolers  at  the  mills,  and 
is,  therefore,  fresh  and  fragrant,  and  no  portion  of  the  aroma  is  allowed  to 
escape. 

These  patent  cans  guard  jealously  the  rights  of  the  consumer,  and  all  lovers 
of  good  coffee  should  see  that  they  get  their  supplies  from  these  cans. 

The  Schnull-Krag  Coffee  Co.  has  its  own  secrets  of  so  mixing  and  blending 
coffee  as  to  get  results  which  have  never  been  paralleled.  Prof.  William  E.  S. 
Fales,  analytical  chemist,  of  New  York,  pronounces  the  fine  coffees  roasted 
and  sold  by  the  Schnull-Krag  Coffee  Company  not  only  the  peer,  but  the 
giant  of  all  roasted  coffees. 

The  leading  brands  roasted  by  this  company  are  "  Windsor,  Mocha,  and 
Java,"  and  "  Our  Best  Java,"  and  every  customer  failing  to  find  these  goods 
with  their  dealer  should  insist,  for  their  own  happiness,  comfort,  and  economy, 
that  they  order  them  from  the  company.  The  price  is  never  above  that  of 
inferior  goods,  and  the  coffees  are  so  boxed  or  crated  that  shipment  is  safe  to 
all  quarters  of  the  globe.  No  dealer  need  excuse  himself.  He  can  get  these 
coffees  if  he  so  wills  it.  Insist  upon  having  them. 


52  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

WHEN  the  foregoing  papers  were  written  by  the 
famous  authorities  on  cooking,  the  Q.  Q.  common 
sense  condensing  coffee  pot  had  not  yet  been 
shown  to  the  public,  the  inventor  prudently  desiring  to 
give  it  a  rigid  trial  before  claiming  for  it  marvelous  possi- 
bilities. It  is  now  known  that  the  whole  field  of  invention 
in  coffee  pots  has  nothing  which  ever  created  the  interest 
and  captured  the  housekeepers  affections  as  has  the  Q.  Q. 
Had  Mrs.  Harland  or  Miss  Parloa,  or  either  of  the  contribu- 
tors to  this  book  been  advised  of  the  existence  of  this  at  once 
practical,  reliable  and  common  sense  coffee  pot  they  would 
have  given  it  the  priority  over  all  other  methods  of  coffee 
making.  How  do  we  know  this  ?  How  do  you  know  that 
you  would  prefer  a  glass  of  pure  crystal  spring  water  to  a 
drink  of  Missouri  river  water  ?  How  do  we  know  that  a 
gas  jet  is  preferable  to  a  tallow  dip  ?  So  do  we  easily  reck- 
on where  the  remarkable  work  of  the  Q.  Q.  coffee  pot 
would  place  it  in  the  opinions  of  all  good  housekeepers. 


"A  DREAM  OF  PERSIA." 

THE    AR-MO-JA    COFFEE,  (POWDERED.) 

Sold  only  in  one  and  three  pound  cans.     Full  weight. 

Ar-mo-ja  is  powdered  from  the  purest  importations  of 
the  highest  grade  coffees.  It  is  economical,  convenient 
and  wholesome.  Being  packed  as  soon  as  roasted  and 
pulverized,  in  air-tight  cans,  it  will  retain  its  strength  and 
exquisite  aroma  for  any  length  of  time,  and  in  any  climate. 
For  sale  by  all  first-class  grocers.  Should  you  fail  to  find 
it  with  your  grocer,  have  him  order  a  case. 

Ar-mo-ja  and  the  Q.  Q.  Coffee  Pot  make  a  partnership 
giving  unexampled  results. 

THE  SCHNULL-KRAG  COFFEE  CO., 

INDIANAPOLIS,  INDIANA. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 


53 


AN  PS  Q/AE 


MBN  AND 


H  E  QLEBRAJE 


Reversible  and  Finished  on  Both  Sides  Hike. 

HOUSEWIVES  who  desire  to  have  their  Husbands  and  Boys  look  their 
best,  should  make  note  : 

The    "Linene"  Goods 

Are  the   most    convenient  article  for  the  Farmer,  the  Mechanic, 
the  Machinist,  the  Traveler,  and  all  Professional  Men. 

Both  Standing  and  Turn-down  in  all  desirable  Sizes  and  Styles. 

Always  comfortable  and  easily  adjusted. 

Unequalled  for  cheapness,  unrivalled  for  elegance. 

After  soiling  on  one  side  can  be  folded  and  used  on  the  other. 

No  fretting,  no  worry,  but  clean  linen  always  ready. 

We  desire  EVERYBODY  to  give  these  goods  a  FAIR  TRIAL,  and 
will  send  to  any  address  a  sample  Collar  and  pair  of  Cuffs,  on  receipt 
of  SIX  CENTS.  (Name  Size.) 

Please  send  for  our  Illustrated  Catalogue  (free)  ,  which  gives  full  particulars 
as  to  styles  and  varieties. 
Ten  Collars,  or  Five  pairs  of  Cuffs,  sold  at  stores  for  25  cents. 

Collars  and  Cuffs  for  Ladies,  both  White  and  Percale. 


REVERSIBLE   COLLAR   COMPANY, 

27  KILBY  STREET,  BOSTON,  MASS. 


54 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 


THE  DANGLER 

Vapor  Cook  Stove. 


These  celebrated  labor  saving  and  economical  Cook 
Stoves  are  rapidly  going  into  general  use.  They  will  Bake, 
Roast,  and  Heat  Irons  Quicker  and  Better  than  either 
the  coal  or  wood  stoves  or  range  ;  and  no  kindling  wood 
or  coal  to  carry,  no  ashes,  dust  or  dirt.  Be  sure  and  in- 
quire of  your  dealer  for  THE  DANGLER  NON-EXPLOSIVE 
VAPOR  COOK  STOVE.  For  circulars  and  catalogue  address 

THE  DANGLER  STOVE  AND  MFG.  CO,, 


Cleveland,  Ohio, 


or 


Chicago,  Illinois. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 


55 


The  All  Eight  Steam  Heater. 


THESE  HEATERS   ABE   GUARANTEED  FOR  FIVE  YEARS  AGAINST 
ANY  FAULT  OF  THE   BOILERS,   AND   HAVE  BEEN 


ARE  RELIABLE,  ECONOMICAL  AND  EFFICIENT. 


Contains  all  that  any  good  apparatus  does,  and  the  price  is  below 
them  all.    It  could  be  no  better  if  it  cost  twice  as  much. 


CIRCULARS   SENT  ON  APPLICATION  TO 

TIHCIE     OO2S4CBI3ST-A.TIOI?T    CO., 

Or  WM.  H.  PAGE,  Treas.,  Norwich,  Conn. 


56 


HIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 


Far  imparting  Ln  the  Teeth 
PEARL-LIKE   WHITENESS 
BtrenQthaninQ  the  GUMS 
and  render  ino   this  Breath 
Jew  BVfEETwPURE 
>J>*)        Prepared     by 


NORWICH,  CONN 
Copyrighted  1870    Registered  1880 


PHENOL 


To  maintain  the  health  of  the  MO  UTH 
',nd  preserve  the  freshness  and  beauty 
"  the  TEETH,  the  frequent  use  of  a 
itifrice  becomes  indispensable.     It 
Important  to  obtain  an  article  free 
obnoxious  ingredients,  the  pres- 
of  which    would    surely    cause 
troubles,  the  origin  of  which 


The  proprietor  of  Phenol  Dentifrice 
,mends  it  to  the  notice  of  those  not 
ly  acquainted  ivith  its  long  estab- 
....  merits.   This  preparation  which 
been  in  the  highest  repute  since  its 
Introduction  in  1870,  and  sold  to  the 
\dentalprofessionthroughout the  United 
\8tates  by  the  leading  Dental  Depots, 
'-'-  a  scientific  combination  of  the  finest 
terials,  so  united  chemically  as  to 
..._ure  the  greatest  efficiency  and  the 
best  possible  results  upon  the  MO  UTH, 
TEETH  and  G  UM8. 
The  excellence  of  this  Dentifrice,  the  formula  of  which  originated  with  the 
proprietor,    a  dentist  of  30  years  practice,   has  obtained  for  it  the  strongest 
recommendation  of  many  of  the  professors  in  our  DENTAL  COLLEGES,  as 
well  as  from,  those  most  noted  in  private  dental  practice. 

As  a  TOOK  POWDER  for  geneiyil  use,  by  old  and  young  it  stands  unrivalled. 

Sold  by  Druggists,  25c.  per  bottle,  $1  per  Ib.  in  cans. 

On  receipt  of  35  c.  a  £  Ib.  can ;  of  5O  c.  a  £  Ib.  can ;  of  $1  a  1  Ib,  can  will  be  sent 
yost  paid,  to  any  address. 

S,  L,  QEEE,  DENTIST,  59  BKOADWAY,  NOKWICH  CONN. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 


57 


"You  need  not  work 
so  hard  to  blacken  your 
shoes,  if  you  will  com- 
mence using  WOLFF'S 
ACME  BLACKING. 
See  how  easy  it  is  ? 
While  you  sweat  and 
groan,  I  sit  in  perfect 
composure." 


WOLFF'S  ACME  BLACKING 

requires  no  brush  to  polish  ;  gives  a  brilliant  finish  ;  preserves  the  leather  and 

is  suitable  alike  for  Ladies'  French  Kid  Shoes  and  Men's  Calf  Boots ; 

in  fact,  all  leather. 

For  Sale  in  Groceries,  Shoe  Stores  and  Retailers  in  General. 
WOLFF  &   RANDOLPH,         -  PHILADELPHIA. 


Produce  the  same  effect  as 
wood-staining  and   polishing, 
without  the  cost  or  labor. 
NO 


SKILI,    REQUIRED 
TO    APPLY    IT. 

Will  stain  old  furniture  with- 
out scraping  off  the  varnish. 
Can  be  used  as  a  Lacquer  for 
Metal,  China  or  Glassware, 
Pottery,  Cane,  Willow  and 
Wicker  Work.  Papier-Mache, 

etc. 

For  Restoring  Grained  Wood- Work  To  Its  Original  Beauty, 
Or  Renewing  Wall  Paper. 

Can  also  be  used  for  painting  expensive  Lincrusta  Walton,  and  will  add  great- 
ly to  its  beauty.  Will  make  Imitation  Stained  Glass  as  clear  as  colored 
glass  itself. 

SEND  STAMP  FOE  G'IRCULAKS,          SAMPLE  BOTTLE  BY  MAIL  35  GTS, 
When  ordering,  state  on  -what  you  wish  to  apply  it  and  the  effect  desired. 

WOLFF  &  RANDOLPH,  PHILADELPHIA. 


58  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 


Standard  ™  Flavoring 


Thoughtful  people  should  read  the  testimonial  below. 

JOSEPH  BURNETT  &  Co.,  Boston: 

Gentlemen—  -I  have  used  your  Extracts  for  years,  knowing  them  the  best 
to  be  found  in  the  market.  MARIA  PARLOA. 

WITH  THOUSANDS  OF  OTHERS  OF  SAME  IMPORT. 


Burnetts  Coffee  Clearer. 


A    WOMAN'S 


A  patented  combination  of 

Cod  Fish  Skin  and  White  of  Eggs. 

The  best  article  for 

SETTLING  COFFEE. 

EGGS  SAVED  AND  NO  PATENT  COFFEE  POTS  NEEDED.. 

At  a  daily  expense  of  less  than  (%)  one-half  a  cent  per  family.  A  superior 
article  for  settling  Coffee,  meeting  with  great  success.  If  your  grocer  has  not 
got  it  send  12  cents  for  full  sized  package  by  mail,  to 

JOSEPH  BURNETT  &  CO., 

Boston  and  Chicago, 

MANUFACTURERS  AND  PROPRIETORS.. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  59 

"PRIME  COFFEE  AND  GOOD  COOKING" 

Is  the  remark  of  those  who  eat  meals  served  c  n  the  gorgeous  Dining  Cars 
which  run  on  all  through  passenger  trains  between  Chicago  and  Council  Bluffs 
(West).  Minneapolis  and  St.  Paul  (via  the  "Famous  Albert  Lea  Route," 
Northwest) ,  and  St.  Joseph,  Atchison,  Leavenworth  and  Kansas  City  (South- 
west) ,  over  the 

CHICAGO,  ROCK  ISLAND  &  PACIFIC  R'Y. 

Its  passenger  equipment  also  includes  magnificent  Pullman  Palace  Sleepers, 
fine  Day  Coaches  and  elegant  Reclining  Chair  Cars,  and  is  unequalled  in  the 
West,  unsurpassed  in  the  world. 


The  "GREAT  ROCK  ISLAND"  is  the  popular  overland  thoroughfare 
and  offers  a  choice  of  the  best  routes  to  Pacific  Coast  cities,  and  all  intermedi- 
ate points,  making  connections  in  commodious  Union  Depots.  To  enjoy  the 
superior  facilities,  comforts  and  luxuries  of  this  First-class,  Railway,  apply  to 
your  nearest  Coupon  Ticket  Office  for  tickets  via  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and 
Pacific  Railway  or  Albert  Lea  Route,  and  refuse  to  take  any  other, 

For  Tickets,  Maps.  Folders,  copies  of  Western  Trail,  or  any  desired  infor- 
mation, apply  also  at  Chicago  to 

R.  R.  CABLE,  E.  ST  JOHN.  E.  A.  HOLBROOK, 

Pres.  and  Gen.  Mgr.        Asst.-Gen.  Manager.        Gen.  Ticket  &>  Pass.  Agt. 


60  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

Given  good  browned  Coffee  it  follows  that  it  must  be  well  made,  and  to  do 
this  a  good  Coffee  Pot  is  essential.     The  Q.  Q.  is  that  pot. 


insr 


Q.Q. 


C 


ommon  Sense 


Patented  in  America,  Canada  and  Europe. 


Result  of  Experience  and  Experiments, 


PRACTICAL,  ECONOMICAL,  SENSIBLE. 


THE  W.  A.  KRAG  CO.,  Manuf  rs, 

93  Wall  Street,  New  York:. 

Western  Office,  Indianapolis,  Indiana. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  61 

KINGSFORD'S 

OSWEGO  0  STARCH, 

THE  BEST  IN  THE  WORLD. 

THE  Q  UALITY  AL  WA  YS  UNIFORM. 


'VT'ra.ppers      m.silcin.g'     rrxost 
<3-ood.s_ 


Corn 


For  the  Table,  is  Most  Delicious,  for 

PUDDINGS, 

BLANC  MANGE, 

CUSTARDS,  Etc. 

AND    IS   PERFECTLY  PURE. 

To  secure  the  BEST—  the  UNADULTERATED  ARTICLE,  see  that 
the  name 

X.     KINGSFORD     &     SON, 

OSWEGO,    P*.    Y. 

Is  on  Every  Box  and  Every  Package. 


62  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

P.  D.  &  Co.  Patent  Tea  or  Coffee  China  Pot  Lid  Fastener. 

Prevents  the  Lid  from  falling  off  while  pouring  from  the  Pot. 
WITHOUT  IT.  WITH  IT. 


Per  Mail,  2O  Cents  each. 


P.  D.  &  CO.  PATENT  EGG  BEATER. 

IT  FITS  INTO  ANY  SHAPED  DISH. 

It  whips  up  and  down  into  the  egg,  being  just  as  effec- 
tive on  one  egg  as  more.  With  all  revolving  beaters  but 
little  of  the  whipping  surface  comes  into  use,  the  whipper 
spinning  around  above  the  egg,  unless  enough  eggs  are 
used  to  cover  it. 


IT  ! 
Beats  ONE  EGG  in  a  TEA  CUP  in  18  Seconds. 

TIEST     IT! 
Beats  SIX  EGGS  in  a  BOWL,  in  7O  Seconds. 

Per  Mail,  30  Cents  each. 


&    CO. 

MANUFACTURERS, 

12  BANK  ST.,  PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 


63 


IRON    WARE. 

Coffee  and  Tea  Pots  are  absolutely 
the  best  articles  made  for  this  purpose. 
Being  a  combination  of   Glass  and 
Iron  they  possess  the  qualities  of  both  ; 
the  Glass  insuring  a  pure  beverage,  free 
from  taste  or  discoloration,  and  the  iron 
I  supplying  the  strength  necessary  for 
I  durability. 

A  tull  line  of  Kitchen  Utensils  is 
made  \i\Granite Iron  Ware,  and  can  be 
found  with  all  first-class  dealers  in 
House-Furnishing  Goods.  Made  only 
by  the  ST.  Louis  STAMPING  Co.,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
Branches  :  96  Beekman  St.,  N.  Y.,  16  Lake  St.,  Chicago. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  65 

EXTRACT  FROM  AN  EDITORIAL 
OX 

AGATE    IRON    WARE, 

BY 

MARION  HARLAND. 


"Those  who  use  the  AGATE  IRON  WARE,  patented 
and  made  by  this  firm,  need  no  recommendation  of  it. 
Eminent  chemists  certify  to  its  safety,  durability, 
and  cleanliness  of  the  materials  employed  in  its  com- 
position. The  shapes  are  unusually  graceful  for 
household  and  kitchen  utensils.  It  is  easily  kept  clean ; 
is  light,  Strong,  and  pleasing  to  the  sight  by  contrast 
with  the  black  Iron  and  dim  or  rusty  Tins.  After 
several  years'  trial  and  thorough  satisfaction  with  this 
ware,  editorial  attestation  to  its  excellence  is  an  act 
of  simple  justice  to  the  manufacturers.  It  is  given 
in  hope  that  others  may  share  the  comfort  and  pleas- 
ure attendant  upon  its  use/' 


66  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

FOR  CANDY  MAKING 

*        *        *       BUY       *        *        * 


THEY  ARE  THE  BEST. 
THEY    GIVE  THE  BEST  SATISFACTION. 


MANUFACTURED  BY 


PHILLIPS  &  CLARK  STOVE  CO., 

GENEVA,  N.  Y. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  67 

SOLD  EVERYWHERE. 


TTSE 


SIFTERS, 

12    Articles    in    On©. 

MANUFACTURED  BY 

THE  FRED.  J.  MEYERS  MFG.  CO., 

COVINGTON,  KY.,  U.S.A., 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 


EMBROIDERY  SILK 


100  Crazy 

ia  each  package.  Send  Postal  note  01 
to  THE  BRAINERD  *  ARMSTRONG 
SILK  CO.,  621  Market  Street,  Philadelphia,  P«. 


ffilF*"  For  the  names  and  addresses  of  10  ladies  interested  in  Art  Needlework, 
we  will  send  our  new  book  "  Art  Needlework,"  free. 

THE  BRAINERD  &  ARMSTRONG  SPOOL  SILK  Co., 
621  Market  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Books  for  Every  Housekeeper. 

By    MARIA   PARLOA. 

First  Principles  of  Household  Management  and  Cookery.  A 
Text-Book  for  Schools  and  Families.  18mo,  New  Edition  en- 
larged. Flexible  cloth,  75  cents. 

By    MRS.  A.  O.  X.  WHITNEY. 

Just  How:  A  Key  to  the  Cook-Books.     16mo,  $1.00. 
Of  all  the  American  cook-books  we  know,  Mrs.  Whitney's  is  the  very  best.— 
"  H.  H."in  Denver  Tribune. 

By  CATHERINE;  OWBN. 

Ten  Dollars  Enongh,  Keeping  House  Well  on  Ten  Dollars  a 
Week,  How  it  has  been  Done,  How  it  may  be  Done  Again.  16- 
mo,  $1.00. 

*#*  F°r  sale  by  all  Booksellers.    Sent  by  mail,  post-paid,  on  receipt  of  price  by 
the  Publishers. 

HOUGHTON,  MIFFLIN  AND  COMPANY, 

4  PARK  ST.,  BOSTON.  n  EAST  I;TH  ST.,  NEW  YORK. 


70  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

MRS.   E.   M.  VANBRUNT'S 

DRESS   REFORM    PARLORS, 

39   E.    19th  STREET,  NEW  YORK. 


HYGIENIC  AND  ABTISTIC 
TJ  INT  3D  E 

FOB 

WOMEN   AND  CHILDREN. 

Sole  Agent  for  Miss  C.  BATES' 

f  DRESS    REFORM   GARMENTS. 

Jersey  fitting  Undergarments  in  Silk, 
Wool,  Merino  and  Lisle,  in 

stock  or  made  to  order. 

At  all  times  a  full  line  of  Ferris  Bros.'s 

celebrated 

COMMON  SENSE  WAISTS. 

BATES' 

CORDED    WAISTS, 

For  all  ages,  "  Breakfast  Corsets," 

Dress  Forms,  Stocking  Supporters,  Ab- 
dominal Bandages,  Sanitary  Towels, 
Bustles,  etc.,  made  of  best  material. 
Corsets  for  Equestriennes,  Corselettes 
for  Sea  Shore  Bathers. 
SEND  FOR  DRESS  REFORM  QUARTERLY. 

MAILED  FREE.  WAISTS. 


SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE.  71 


THE    BOSTON    COOK  BOOK, 

By  MRS.  D.  A.  LINCOLN,  is  the  best  Cook  Book  in  the  World.  Nearly 
600  pages,  50  illustrations,  price  $2.00.  Sent  by  mail,  post-paid,  on  receipt  of 
price  by  the  publishers, 

ROBERTS  BROTHERS,  Boston. 


Good  Housekeeping  Series  of  Household  Books, 

PERFECT    BREAD. 

FIFTY  RECIPES  for  Making  Breads  of  all  kinds,  the  Preparation  of  Yeast, 
and  Instructions,  which,  if  duly  followed,  will  enable  any  housewife  to  be  sure 
of  always  having  Perfect  Bread.  Postpaid  on  receipt  of  Twenty-Five  Cents. 

A    KEY   TO    COOK  I  BIO. 

Of  which  the  author,  Catherine  Owen,  says,  "  I  do  not  think  anything  I 
shall  ever  be  able  to  write  will  be  more  valuable  to  the  inexperienced  cook  than 
this  book. "Sent  by  mail,  postage  free,  on  receipt  of  price,  Twenty- Five  Cents. 

LrESSOKS    I*i    CAIVDY    MAKIKG. 

The  very  popular  Series  of  Catherine  Owen's  papers  on  Candy  Making  at 
Home,  recently  published  in  GOOD  HOUSEKEEPING,  are  now  re-published  in. 
book  form.  Sent  postpaid  for  Fifty  Cents. 

"SIX    CUPS   OK   COKKEE." 

By  Maria  Parloa,  Catherine  Owen,  Marion  Harland,  Juliet  Corson,  Mrs. 
Helen  Campbell,  Mrs.  D.  A.  Lincoln.  A  book  of  greater  value  to  housekeep- 
ers than  anything  of  the  kincj  ever  before  published.  Sent  postpaid  on  receipt 
of  Twenty-Five  Cents. 

We  will  send  these  Four  Books  for  $1. 

Others  of  this  series  in  preparation  are  :  "  Progressive  Housekeeping." 
'*  In  the  Sick  Room." 

CLARK  W.  BRYAN  &  CO.,  Publishers. 

SPRINGFIELD,    MASS. 


72  SIX  CUPS  OF  COFFEE. 

Good  Housekeeping 

A  FAMILY  JOURNAL, 

PUBLISHED  FORTNIGHTLY.          -          $2.50  A  YEAR. 


Good  Housekeeping1  Bill  of  Fare. 

The  Fortnightly  Bill  of  Fare  of  GOOD  HOUSEKEEPING  has  heretofore 
been  enriched  by  contributions  from  some  of  the  most  noted  and  practical 
writers  on  household  subjects,  and  new  ones  are  being  constantly  added  to  the 
already  largely  extended  list,  which  now  contains  the  names  of: 

Marion  Harland,  Maria  Parloa,  Catherine  Owen,  Juliet  Corson,  Rose  Terry 
Cook,  Mary  E.  Dewey,  Margaret  Sidney,  Hester  M.  Poole,  Lucretia  P.  Hale, 
Elisabeth  Robinson  Scovii,  Mrs.  D.  H.  R.  Goodale,  Dora  Read  Goodale, 
Anna  L.  Dawes,  Ellen  Bliss  Hooker,  Anna  Barrows,  Margaret  Eytinge, 
Helen  Campbell,  H.  Annette  Poole,  Emma  P.  Ewing,  Ruth  Hall,  Carrie  W. 
Bronson,  Mrs.  H.  M.  Plunkett,  Elizabeth  M.  Griswold,  Adelaide  Preston, 
Pauline  Adelaide  Hardy,  Henrietta  Davis,  Georgia  A.  Peck,  Emily  A.  Brown- 
ell,  Helen  Chase,  Mary  Stuart  Smith,  Kate  Tannatt  Woods,  Mary  Winches- 
ter, Mrs.  Fanny  A.  Benson,  Carlotta  Perry,  Julia  H.  May,  Sarah  DeWolf 
Gamwell,  Clarissa  Potter,  Mrs.  C.  S.  Fox,  May  Kingston,  Nellie  F.  Burnham, 
May  Riley  Smith,  Anne  Aldworth,  Florence  B.  Hallowell,  Mary  Clark  Hunt- 
ington,  Olive  E.  Dana,  Emma  W.  Babcock,  Marion  Foster  Washburne,  Mary 
B.  Sleight,  Olivia  Lovell  Wilson,  Mrs.  Lewis  Swift,  Helen  Whitney  Clark, 
Frances  B.  James,  England,  Marie  Gozzaldi,  Lugano,  Switzerland,  E.  C.  Gard- 
ner, Milton  Bradley,  Dr.  F.  M.  Hexamer,  William  Paul  Gerhard,  John  Went- 
worth,  Zenas  Dane,  Edgar  L.  Wakeman,  Frank  H.  Stauffer,  and  scores  of 
other  famed  writers  on  matters  pertaining  to  the  interests  of  the  Higher  Life 
of  the  Household  in  the  Homes  of  the  World. 

SAM  PI*K  COPY  10  CBNXS. 


Clark  W.  Bryan  &  Co.,  Publishers, 

SPRINGFIELD,  MASS. 


HI  ARK     YOUR 


YOURSBI*F  ! 


WITH 


PAYSON'S 


INDELIBLE 


INK 


With  a  COMMON  PEN,  without  a  preparation. 


THE  OLDEST. 


Established  over 
50  Years. 

INDISPENSABLE  IN  EVERT  FAMILY, 


}  THE  BEST. 


A  single  letter  or  number 
even,  will  save  time  and 
confusion  in  sorting  the 
family  linen. 

Don't  waste  patience  and 
money,  trying  the  so  called 
cheaper  inks,  or  leave  your 
articles  to  be  disfigured  and 
injured  by  laundrymen. 

Sold  by  all  Book,  Drug 
and  Fancy  Goods  stores. 


ESTABLISHED,  1801 


BENT  8  CO.'S  Celebrated  Handmade  WJEB  CR4CKERS 


GUARANTEED  ABSOLUTELY  PURE. 

Hand-Made    from    Choicest    Flour. 

They  are  Easy  of  Digestion, 

Recommended  by  Eminent  Physicians  both 
sides  the  Atlantic. 

Get  only  the  genuine,  which  bear  the  stamp 
of  the  makers. 

For  more  than  four-score  years  the  Crackers 
have  been  unequalled  for  excellence  and  their 
superior  keeping  qualities.  They  are  sold  by 
first-class  grocers  everywhere. 

BENT  &  CO.,  Milton,  Mass. 


r 


"Wait  a  moment,  please,  while  I  step  in  and  order  a  package  of 
Schnull-Krag's  Windsor  Mocha  and  Java  Coffee.  You  know  we  are 
always  sure  of  having  a  good  cup  of  coffee  when  we  use  the  Windsor." 


